This can calm down any over-active receptors that are misfiring and help bring a child’s level of alertness to a normal (calm) level. When is The Best Time to Use Sensory Brushing?

The head also contains way more bristles than in most kids’ toothbrushes. There are around 1,700 bristles, spread out over 34 holes. An autistic toothbrush is specially designed to accommodate for autistic sensory issues by providing softer bristles and a softer brush. It also has a different shape so that your child doesn’t have to hold it as long before they get used to using it. Brushing teeth is an ADL that can be a challenge for many kids whether it’s from sensory processing challenges, challenges with routine, anxiety, or any other variety of reasons. Spoon Tip - Great for feeding therapy and mealtimes, these attachments turn the Z-Vibe into a vibrating spoon! The smooth, gentle vibration can help "wake up" the mouth and decrease aversions. The textured version has bumps on the bottom of the spoon bowl to help stimulate the tongue and lower lip, and to help encourage the transition from puréed to more solid foods. The hard Spoon Tip is rigid, like a regular spoon. The soft Spoon Tip is flexible (still firm enough to hold food, but flexible enough to be gentle on the teeth if someone bites down on the spoon.People with SPD tend to be overly sensitive to particular stimuli like touch, sound or certain tastes.

These tips can help to break any negative behaviors or emotions that may surround your child’s tooth brushing routine, and give you a foundation to start a fresh routine. Start by trying one recommendation that you think will work for your child, give it a week and if it’s still not working try another. Working through toothbrushing challenges takes time and is a trial-and-error process. Hopefully you find these tips helpful! When they are done, the suction cup at the bottom provides an easy way to store the toothbrush securely on a surface or on the wall. What we like about it:My mother, also being a psychologist, decided to research why I was so “stubborn” about my teeth. Thankfully for me she realized I wasn’t doing any of this on purpose. She figured out that I had “ sensory problems.”

Please note: training in sensory brushing is absolutely necessary before attempting to use this technique in practice, otherwise harmful or ineffective influences may be the result. Be sure to receive the most up to date brushing protocol training as it has changed over the years. When to trial a sensory brushing program? Give parents some leeway as they incorporate this into their busy lives. Remind them it is only for a couple of weeks. Like adding an antibiotic, it is tough at first, but will be over soon. If caregivers can only get four cycles in a day, that is better than nothing. If they are not doing it consistently enough to gauge progress, it might be better to wait until they are able to commit to this program before starting. The sensory brushing program, when performed correctly, can have some great benefits. If performed incorrectly, there may be negative effects, or be ineffectiveI have used the brushing program personally, and in practice during the past 25 years. It has worked for some, but not all. Personally I found it difficult to keep up with regimen of brushing. It can increase a child’s ability to optimize their arousal and activity levels as well as decrease sensory defensiveness. The Wilbarger brushing protocol involves the sensory brush, paired with joint compressions, completed in a sequence and according to a schedule. You can also try changing the toothpaste to one with a child-friendly flavour or have them brush their teeth in another room (maybe they don’t like the bathroom). XXT / Super Firm - this is the toughest level, which we call XXT ("Xtra Xtra Tough"); It still has some “chewability” to it, but it’s fairly rigid / pretty firm Do not brush the stomach or chest. Brushing the stomach may affect digestion, and the chest may affect respiration.

For example, if a child has a difficult time tolerating a busy environment like a birthday party or holiday gathering, brushing can be used to ‘prepare’ the child’s nervous system to enter that situation, by aiding regulation. At bedtime, brushing can be used as part of a wind-down routine to signal the brain and body to get ready to sleep.

WHY SENSORY OASIS

This one lights up in green for one minute, providing a distraction for kids and letting them know when brushing time is over. Once they see where the plaque is, make a game out of cleaning all the “junk” out of their mouth. For kids that are older, you can use the visual the mouthwash gives to start talking about cavities, and the effects of not cleaning your teeth. Tip #8: Brush Only One Time Per Day The second time a day may have more focus on going through the motions, such as talking about the steps, doing a dry run, or if your child is emotionally regulated enough, attempting to brush their teeth. Tip # 9: Take Turns Brushing Fine Tip - This tip narrows down to a fine point, which makes it perfect for pinpointing very specific areas in the mouth. Brush Tips - The soft version has gentle bristles for gum massage; the hard version has firmer bristles closer to that of a traditional toothbrush. These can be used to help get orally sensitive individuals more comfortable with oral care, so that they can eventually use regular toothbrushes, be more comfortable going to the dentist, etc.