Brushing Teeth

ROUTINE,  ROUTINE, routine. 

Get into a routine.  

I have.

Brush teeth at least twice a day.  Always after breakfast and before bedtime.

My dental hygiene was very bad when I was young.

When I was 18, I had five teeth removed under general anaesthetic at the dental hospital in one day.  The dentist predicted I would be toothless by the age of 21.

I'm now 57 and I haven't lost any more teeth.

I floss with an expanding floss, I use.a.battery operated toothbrush and nice tasting toothpaste.

I have this problem also. I problem brush my teeth two or three times a week I absolutely hate doing it. Partially it has been because I cannot stand the sensation of bristles against my teeth and the noise. I have countered that by buying a rubber toothbrush which has helped but I still really struggle. 

I think part of it is also because I’ve got into a routine of not doing it and as we all know we find it very hard to break routine lol. When I do do it though I have no issues, apart from it takes too long and I could be doing what I do best, absolutely nothing lol

Maybe you could try setting phone alarms to remind you to do it, along with a timer so that you're brushing for the right amount of time? I think the recommendation is two minutes, although I'm not sure I do it for that long.

Mouthwash can also be good for catching any bacteria you might have missed. I've used Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment when my gums/teeth have got bad, but I don't use it long-term (mouthwash can stain your teeth if you use it all the time, but it does help with cleaning every now and again). I noticed Listerine are also advertising a mouthwash with a milder taste now, so that might be worth a try if you struggle with strong flavours (their products are here): https://www.listerine.co.uk/products

Corsodyl is supposed to be good too, but I can't cope with the taste (everyone's different though, so it might be fine for you).

Hi Kodey yes that's a good Idea make an appointment to speak to your Dentist,an you can talk over any fears you have about going to see Him/ Her and I am sure they will be able to put you at your ease. Let me know how you get on if you  do try the Toothpaste.

Helena

Hi Helena :) 

Thanks for the reply. I will look into that toothpaste you suggested. I need to sign up at a new dentist now so I think when I sign up, I will discuss with them how I get anxious about it. Hopefully they will be able to help a bit.

I really don't get it. I don't dislike the toothpaste and I know it has so many good reasons to do it. It's like I have a mental block against it. Hope you find a solution that works for you

Can’t really offer you any help other than to let you know you are not alone, I too struggle. I forgot again today and seeing this post has reminded me but I still can’t get off my *** to do it lol

Hello there I am sorry you are having a problem with Brushing or not Brushing your Teeth. What kind of Toothpaste have you been using to brush your Teeth with? I stopped using Colgate Sr or Gibbs, or whatever they call them years ago. The reason was these Toothpastes were making me want to be sick every time I used them. Then someone told me about a Toothpaste they used called Welleda  hope I have spelt it right. It is a natural toothpaste, with no nasty ingredients in it and it is peppermint free too . I do recomend you try it an see how you get on. I do am very nervous of the Dentist. There is information on the National Autistic site on line for Dentists to help them understand more about Autism, and how to treat Autistic patients who are Anxious and Nervous. You can print it off an let your Dentist read it so they can learn something about the Spectrum. I also recomend booking a double appointment with your Dentist so they have more time to speak to you an show you things and give explanations too. I do hope that this has been some help to yourself. Can you ask a family member or friend to go with you an come into the surgery as well? You could also brig some music with you to listen to if you are getting any treatment done or anything to distract you and help you feel less nervous. Do hope I have been a little help to you in some way, please let me know how you get on won't you? It is extremely important to look after our teeth we only get one set and we want to keep them for as long as we can do so.

Will be thinking of you and hope you manage to go ok. Helena

Hello,

Difficulty in actuating fundamental tasks - such as teeth brushing - is an executive functioning issue. Problems with executive functioning are one of the most frustrating aspects of being autistic.

One of the major components of executive functions is working memory. This ‘memory is necessary for prospective action, whether the action is a motor act, a mental operation, or a piece of spoken language.’

A tactic employed by some to circumvent these types of problems is to use one of the personal assistant apps available for mobile phones. Set an alarm or reminder to prompt you at the appropriate times to brush your teeth. This method of self regulation can be effective and will hopefully be self reinforcing as time goes by. The apps may be called something else. I don’t use a mobile, so I can’t recommend one.

Some psychologists and philosophers think we will increasingly use our electronic devices to outsource cognitive tasks. This theory is called Extended Cognition.

I hope this helps.

Information taken from:

The Prefrontal Cortex. 4th Edition Joaquín M. Fuster

Executive function~ and the frontal lobes: a lifespan perspective. Editors, VIckI Anderson, Rani lambs.

Interview with Andy Clark about Extended Cognition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc-TdMjuJRU