CW: Descriptions of toothbrushing and dental stories
Today I managed to brush my teeth, with my electric toothbrush, for about ten seconds.
Now many of you are likely thinking to yourselves at this point that ten seconds is not nearly enough time to brush one’s mouth thoroughly, and I will admit that I would have loved to brush longer, but today ten seconds was a victory.
I’m Autistic. A big part of that is altered sensory processing that can make sensations most people ignore entirely overwhelming.
Some examples of overwhelming sensations (to me) include:
nail/toenail files, hair brushing as a child, many types of socks, tags in clothing, injections & blood draws, circulating air on my arms if it is below 80 degrees (or if my skin is wet), and tooth brushing.
We could go into each of these sensory tortures in detail. Still, toothbrushing is of particular annoyance because, for many years, my avoidance of this task has caused me harm and significant expense.
The executive functioning aspect of why I don’t always do self-care tasks could be its own post (let me know if that interests you in the comments below), so I will not dive into that part today.
Unfortunately, not brushing my teeth frequently enough led me to lose several teeth in my mid-twenties. It was a painful and expensive lesson.
These days, I try to take care of my teeth, making them a priority, because I know they won’t last otherwise, but sometimes the sensory aspect of brushing my teeth is something I literally cannot stomach.
The texture, taste, and foam of the toothpaste may overwhelm me instantly, causing me to wretch violently almost the instant I place it into my mouth.
If the toothpaste doesn’t get me, the back and forth filing motion may; this is why I have an electric toothbrush. The buzzing distracts from the bristly sensation on my teeth and gums. But, unfortunately, a standard toothbrush is entirely too much.
If we woke up tomorrow and all the electric toothbrushes were gone, I would never brush my teeth again. I’d floss and use mouthwash, hoping to save my teeth, but I CANNOT stand the feeling of a non-electric toothbrush moving back and forth in my mouth. Just typing that gave me goosebumps. ICK.
Some mornings, when my sensory system is the most dysregulated, I know I will not be able to handle the minty foam drowning my senses and suffocating me until I’m dizzy and ill, so I don’t torture myself.
If I think I can take even a few seconds of the torture, I will do my best to quickly hit every tooth in my mouth and then, if I’ve made it so far, the parts of my tongue I can sometimes handle.
Yesterday morning was not a tremendous sensory morning. I didn’t brush my teeth (but I did floss them and used mouthwash), so it was important I try today because with brushing teeth, I’ve found something is better than nothing.
This morning I put the toothbrush in my mouth. I quickly got to each tooth, if only in quick passing, and then after about ten seconds, was overcome with the urge to gag. At that point, I promptly aborted the toothbrushing mission and began ejecting the toothpaste from my mouth.
I didn’t get to my tongue, but I still consider this mission a victory.
Maybe I’ll try again later after I drink my coffee (if I remember… executive functioning explained on another day.)
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With gratitude,
Lyric
I’ve not had problems with brushing the old fashioned way, but it took me a while to get used to the electric toothbrush. Initially it was too much like having a dentist drill in my mouth, vibrating and rattling my brain. I’m glad for you that you found something that may help.
I’m looking forward to hearing your take on executive functioning. Right now I’m avoiding sending emails to friends and doing other things that I need and want to do, but just aren’t doing.
Hi! This post has been very illuminating for me, my son is autistic and he’s only 8, I struggled a lot to get him to brush his teeth, I thought it was laziness but now after reading this I think the issue is more complex than that. Fortunately, I shifted a few years ago to electronic toothbrush and it even had an app where he could play while brushing, it was very helpful during the transition. Now to make things even worse he has a device on his mouth to fix a lack of space, so I have to be even more careful with his hygiene to avoid bad breath or food getting stuck in there. It hasn’t been an easy road but at least reading your blog help me to be more patient and understanding with him. Thank you for taking the time to share this.
Despite the ads showing a full brush of paste, it only takes a tiny amount to give enough to help the cleaning process. A tiny, wee bit of paste. I also add a shake of Baking Soda occasionally (which doesn’t taste good, but I got used to it).
And if you can’t use a brush, another way to get the teeth cleaner is to put the paste on a soft cloth (with a tiny bit of paste) and use that to wipe over the teeth (especially the inner side). Or a finger with a mix of paste and backing soda (tiny bit).
A lot of people have this problem, and the ones I know are the ones who grind their teeth, sleepwalk/talk, or similar. It’s the pressure on the teeth from the facial tension, so if you find a way to reduce that (please let me and everyone else know!), it may help.
Good luck.
OMG child. so very true. I own two electric toothbrushes, the one I bought last year after i forgot that I can’t tolerate electric toothbrushes … and the one I couldn’t find that I bought 5 years ago, that is still missing somewhere in the house. I don’t use either of them.
Dry brushing might help? I don’t care for toothpaste so many times I just use the brush. I make sure that I use a fluoride mouthwash and call it good.
Some studies (I saw headlines for on Facebook) said that dry brushers tend to brush longer.
Just an idea you didn’t ask for. 🙂
I’m just the other way around… I tried an electronic brush as I don’t like brushing as well and my teeth were suffering because of it… But the feeling of the electric brush make me go nuts! I felt like my whole mouth was buzzing and I had no control of it at all…
I only brush once a day because I really hate it, something in my mouth like that, the foam, the bad feeling when it gets to my throat…
I also use mouth wash and small brushes/floss to help it. But I’ve been told many times I need to brush twice a day but just once is horror enough to last me a day 😔
please elaborate further on your issues with injections, if you feel comfortable doing so. i would love to “compare notes” on our possibly shared experience.
I started using cinnamon flavoured charcoal fluoride-free toothpaste and am much happier even tho the retching thing still happens.
Hi, thank you for the post. Its very illuminating. As a mother to an autistic teen, yes I would be really interested to read about the executive functioning aspects of self care. This is an area we struggle with. So would be interested to better understand so that I can support my son. Thanks in advance.
I find a tongue scraper makes me way less nauseated. I had a real problem with toothpaste as a kid. I have mostly managed to get the job done as an adult (though I have still had real dental issues so maybe I’m not getting it done as well as I think I am) but I still regularly gag and have issues.
I have a huge amount of revulsion for the feeling of plaque on my teeth, and struggle to get my mouth clean enough to stop that overwhelming sensation between dental cleanings. My hygienist recommended wetting down a terrycloth washrag with a splash of water and carefully rubbing my teeth clean with that wrapped over my index finger, while being careful to avoid scrubbing at my gums. This cleans my teeth to the smoothness I need, much more effectively than my manual toothbrush with peroxide or my Sonicare with anticavity rinse, and is perfectly paired with a gentle flossing. Blessings on your healthy smile.
Hi so happy to find this blog I’ve been searching for a way to help my mother understand my problems with toothbrushing and other things mine is similar the toothpaste I used and loved got discontinued and I haven’t been able to find a good one Since and then when I did it got discontinued again I also take issues with electric toothbrushes it feels like my teeth are vibrating and my brain is rattling in my skull I had a retainer and braces at one point They made toothbrushing hard to I still have two wire bars in my mouth flossing is a nightmare because of it and I have such a hard time explaining this to my mom on top of that my main issue is mint I’m very sensitive to taste and sound but in this case it’s my test I can’t Tolerate mint In any form are completely torturous I used to use aqua fresh bubblegum toothpaste when they stopped making it brushing my teeth became a struggle other not mint toothpaste today taste like candy that’s so sweet my teeth sting Or it has secret mint in it that I can taste I also have this problem at the dentist office I had to have my dentist taste all her fluoride and tooth polish in front of me just to convince her that they all had mint in them once she did that she couldn’t say I was wrong anymore just because the label doesn’t say it has mint in it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have mint in it I can taste it I can’t even find good dental floss or mouthwash it’ll say triple berry but it’s actually triple berry with mint i’m also happy to know that I’m not the only one who gags every time or has an aversion to brushing my teeth it makes me feel like there’s other people who get it Which is nice because I usually feel like I’m surrounded by people who don’t and I’m the same with the blood test and shot thing to when it comes to blood test it feels like I can feel them sucking the blood out of my body it makes my skin crawl and every time I get a blood test or a shot I get a bruise doesn’t matter how long I put pressure on that area I get a bruise my annoying brother says I’m like a peach even called me peach girl when I finally asked him why he said it’s because I bruise like a peach I was not amused 😒
I can’t stand mint either – I use Cleure toothpaste or Squigle Tooth Builder toothpaste – both are flavorless. I have yet to find a flavorless mouthwash, but Cleure has a cranberry one that is okay and I can handle it every once in awhile.
I love this post. I’m working hard with my kids to understand how hard it is.
I struggle with it too and have found that a water pik weirdly irritates me SO much less? I never want to miss a night, and seeing junk actually blasted out is sort satisfying. Some nights, it’s all I can do but I can also blast my teeth wit it then use mouthwash so I don’t feel super guilty. Lost multiple teeth also, trying to save what’s left (and my budget 😫).
I went 9 years between cleanings and that was painful, so I try to be better, too. But I can’t do mint or sweet flavors, and am allergic to rosemary – for some reason companies put rosemary in all sorts of things so I always check the labels. I use Cleure non-flavored toothpaste and Squigle Tooth Builder toothpaste. If you have other people who don’t like the flavors either.
Will be talking to my 12 year old in the morning after finding your blog whilst looking for yet another way to make toothbrushes tolerable for him. Standard toothbrushes used to be fine. Then hated that. Have used an electric toothbrush. Fine for a while then couldn’t stand it. Then finger brush. OK til flavour ran out after approx 3 weeks so not sustainable financially or environmentally. I’ll see what he thinks of a cloth. He’s picked his teeth and I have wondered how he can’t stand a toothbrushes but can pick off the enamel. After reading this post and responses It gives some ideas why.