Why Your Child with ADHD Won't Brush Their Teeth

Children hate brushing their teeth. The bedtime routine is a struggle for most parents at some point in their kid's childhood. And something about this nightly chore is a matter many children push back against regularly.

Children with ADHD seem to have a deeper aversion to brushing teeth than most. Still, with a bit of perseverance and creativity on the part of the parents, your child should eventually grow to at least tolerate brushing his teeth.

The truth is, it's not actually tooth brushing your child probably hates. But the process, the time it takes, the focus it requires, and perhaps they dislike the sensory input.

Whether your child likes teeth cleaning or not, proper dental care is essential to their overall health. Plus, cavities and extractions on baby teeth may result in extra dental bills depending on your dental coverage; teeth covered under insurance don't always include dental fillings on primary teeth.

So what do parents do when their child with ADHD refuses to brush regularly or it consistently involves a struggle? This article explores why your child dislikes brushing teeth, tips to improve oral and personal hygiene, and what you can do to ensure their reluctance to brush doesn't result in extra dental bills.

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Why Your ADHD Child Hates Brushing Their Teeth 

There may be several reasons your child hates brushing their teeth. So step one in understanding why your child won't brush his teeth is discovering what they don't like about it. Once you can pinpoint the exact issue, you can try to solve the problem.

Kids with ADHD have difficulty transitioning from one task to the next. Therefore, it's seen as an interruption to their current activity. It may also be that your child becomes easily distracted once in the bathroom. They may enter the bathroom with the intention of picking up their toothbrush but then see the soap and start to play with it or decide to comb their hair or any number of things that pull their focus.

Sensory issues are the third reason your child may have difficulty brushing his teeth. Many children with ADHD also struggle with sensory input. Sensitive children may have a gag reflex, sensitive gums, not like the feel of their toothbrush, or strongly dislike the taste of toothpaste.

Remember that your child may not understand why they dislike brushing and will likely use excuses to avoid it. Therefore it's important to talk openly with them about what they don't like, name feelings for them, and avoid nagging or scolding, as that will only make the process less enjoyable for both of you.

How do I get my ADHD child to brush their teeth?

To help your child with ADHD want to brush their teeth; they need to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth. Parents should take time to explain how healthy teeth and gums supports their overall health, what could happen if they don’t brush their teeth, and find ways to make toothbrushing more fun and interesting. 

Positive praise, developing a routine, and helping your child feel confident are steps parents can take to encourage their child’s tooth brushing. 

Create a routine

Routine is essential to improve tooth brushing. If you don't have one already, create a picture schedule for your morning and bedtime routine and present brushing teeth as part of the routine.

Let your child know that the option to brush is non-negotiable; however, you can work with your child to move the routine around to find what fits them best. Kids love and need choices, so while brushing his teeth is non-negotiable when he brushes them could be an option.

For example, "Would you like to brush your teeth before or after we read a story?" Allowing them to choose when they brush their teeth gives them a sense of control. You could also keep an extra toothbrush in the bathroom, giving them a choice of color each time.

Once a routine is created, stick to it as much as possible.

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Kids with ADHD are easily distracted and struggle to manage their time effectively. Joon is designed to promote independence, increase focus, and improve task completion through gamification.

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Explain the importance of brushing teeth

Proper dental care is essential to your child's overall health. Unhealthy teeth and gums can lead to inflammation, pain, and discomfort. Untreated gum diseases can even lead to heart problems.

Of course, you don't want to scare your child, who already avoids brushing, but you do want to impress upon them the importance of dental care.

Parents can use diagrams, videos, or pictures to help their children understand what cavities are and how to avoid them by keeping their teeth brushed!

Use positive reinforcements 

Reward charts aren't the answer for all behavioral problems, but if your ADHD child won't brush, this may be the time to use one! A reward system should be used only to promote positive behavior, not as a punishment if they fail to brush.

Giving your kid a small reward after successfully brushing her teeth every morning for a week helps her learn a routine.

Rewards should build incrementally. So perhaps they earn a prize for brushing every day in a row for five days. The following prize is earned after seven additional days in a row, then ten, etc. When used effectively, your child will eventually grow past the need to use the chart.

Positive reinforcement comes in various currencies, so figure out what speaks to your child. Some kids might enjoy earning additional screen time; others may like a new toy like a stuffed animal.

Specific verbal praise is another weighty tool a parent can use. For example, "You brushed your teeth the first time I asked! I am so proud of you!" Get in the practice of giving your child with ADHD praise for tasks completed, it goes a long way to promote positive behavior!

Use Dramatic Play

Younger children love playing doctor and dentist, so create a dentist space in your child's play area. With a few items from the dollar store or donations from a local dentist, your child can engage in dramatic play by brushing the teeth of a doll or stuffed animal.

You can also act as the patient to their dentist and practice checking in the reception area, asking them for tips on brushing and caring for your teeth.

Help them feel confident

If your child struggles to brush his teeth, aim for something other than perfection right out of the gate. Instead, praise each accomplishment as it happens. You can also make brushing fun by playing music, using a light-up timer, or letting them brush in the shower!

If they have nerves about the dentist, bring them to your cleaning appointment and talk openly about your experiences with the dentist.

Tell your child how beautiful their smile is and how strong teeth are essential to eating healthy food. The goal is to make them feel good about their own teeth and create the desire to take care of them.

Work Around Sensory Input

If your child with ADHD hates cleaning their teeth because of sensory problems, do your best to work around those issues to make them feel comfortable. Your child may need a softer toothbrush or enjoy an electric one.

Experiment with different flavored and textured toothpaste. There is foam toothpaste for kids in fun fruity flavors that may appeal to your little one. Some children find traditional kid's toothpaste too sweet and may enjoy a mild mint flavor instead.

Speak with your dentist to see if your toothpaste should have added fluoride.

Brush together

If your child struggles to brush, you may need to brush your child's teeth for them. However, some children resist mom or dad brushing even more than doing it themselves.

If that's the case, try brushing your teeth together. Show your child you value dental care by demonstrating you brush your teeth too. It may be helpful for them to watch how you do it, similar to when they were potting training.

Plus, when you brush together, you can show them how to reach the back teeth and gently brush the gums and tongue.

Takeaway 

Getting your child with ADHD to use a toothbrush is often challenging. Dentists say children should be supervised when brushing until at least six, but children with ADHD may need supervision and support a bit longer.

Ask your dentist for tips if you struggle to get your child to brush. And talk with your child and discover the exact issue preventing them from adequately brushing and consider ways to make tooth brushing fun and upbeat.

Like most things with kids, there is no easy answer, and forcing your child to use a toothbrush twice a day may feel like one more extra thing you have to do as a parent. But teaching your kid to properly care for their mouth, while tedious, is a better alternative than a mouth of filled teeth and sets them up for a lifetime of healthy habits.