Website launches to improve oral health of autistic children

Dental experts have teamed up with the parents of autistic youngsters to create an online advice centre to help them look after their children’s teeth.

Academics at the University of Leeds School of Dentistry, who designed the website, said because children with autism could find brushing their teeth a distressing experience they were more likely to need dental treatment in hospital.

Dr Amrit Chauhan, an expert on the oral health of autistic children at the university, co-led the research and the building of the website.

She said they decided to collaborate with parents because families were “really struggling”.

Nearly one in four autistic children have tooth decay by the age of five – similar to the wider childhood population – but they are less likely to visit the dentist and twice as likely to need dental treatment under general anaesthetic.

Anne-Marie, from Mirfield in West Yorkshire, has two autistic teenage sons, Tolan and Fredi.

“The noise, the taste, that whole experience of brushing his teeth just became too overwhelming for Fredi and it would result in him being really upset, lashing out, self-harm,” she said.

She said cleaning her sons’ teeth had been the toughest challenge of bringing them up.

The boys ended up having a total of 12 teeth removed under general anaesthetic when they were aged eight and 10.

“It was absolutely devastating,” said Anne-Marie.

“When we got the news that the boys needed teeth removed, I felt like we failed them, even though we tried everything.”

The new website, called toothPASTE, has autism-specific advice on how to improve oral health.

Translated into 13 languages, it gives parents practical advice on toothbrushing, going to the dentist and eating and drinking.

The website features videos, downloadable resources and a forum where parents can share their experiences and advice.

Dr Chauhan said: “Anything that we have developed is what families have said they wanted and need.

“It’s because we’re hearing time and time again that families are really struggling and that’s why we developed the website to really help families of young autistic children to feel confident in looking after their children’s teeth.”

Dentist Professor Peter Day, who also led on the project, said treating autistic children was often challenging “both for the child to come into the dentist – funny smells, different sensations, lighting – but also their parents are often worried about how their child is going to behave”.

Simple measures like asking parents to take pictures of problem teeth at home beforehand and families waiting in the car park rather than in a busy waiting room made a difference, he said.

Anne-Marie was one of the parents consulted in the research which came up with the toothcare website.

“I honestly think that if I had had this toolkit back when the boys were young we wouldn’t have had to have teeth extraction,” she said.

“I think it’s revolutionary.”