Online Dental Health Toolkit for Parents of Autistic Children
- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 29 July 2025 07:34
- Written by Peter Ingle
- Hits: 1223
A new resource has been developed by the University of Leeds to help improve the oral health of autistic children. The online support package has been designed to help parents of autistic children manage their dental care and reduce the risk of tooth decay and the resulting need for treatment.
The resource, called toothPASTE, was co-created with families, researchers, and early-years professionals, and offers strategies specific to the needs of autistic children.
The toothPASTE site includes videos, practical advice, downloadable tools, and a peer forum to support families with daily care routines and dental appointments. This support is especially important for autistic children, because although caries rates are similar across all children, they are more likely to avoid dental visits and require treatment under general anaesthetic.
There are a number of potential ways that autism can make it harder to maintain oral health. Sensory sensitivities can make brushing uncomfortable, and dental visits may be overwhelming due to light, sound, smell, and unfamiliar interaction. Some autistic children struggle to communicate dental pain, and dietary preferences may increase sugar intake and decay risk.
The toolkit takes a step-by-step approach to building oral hygiene habits. It offers flexible, gradual strategies for parents whose children may need more time to adjust to brushing or dental appointments.
Dr Amrit Chauhan, Lecturer in Autism-related Oral Health Research at Leeds, said: “We want to help parents feel more confident in caring for their young autistic children’s teeth. That’s why families of autistic children have been involved from the start of the study, and we have very much been led by them on what they want.”
He added: “Every family is at a different point in their journey, and every child’s needs are unique. So, on the website, we break things down into small, manageable steps. We take a gentle, gradual approach, recognizing that for some children, making even one small change might take weeks or even months – and that’s okay.”
The project also drew on visual communication tools such as Talking Mats which are mats to which pictures can be attached and re-arranged as required. These can help to capture the experiences of minimally-verbal children. One child described toothpaste as “an explosion in the mouth,” reflecting the sensory barriers that can exist in day-to-day care.
The project is supported by national autism and dental organizations, including the National Autistic Society and the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD). The website is freely available and designed for use by any family, regardless of whether a child has a formal diagnosis.
Dr Shannu Bhatia, President of BSPD, said: “The research that has gone into the toothPASTE website has enabled the development of a set of well-targeted tools to support neurodivergent young people and will really help their parents and carers.”
The project was led by researchers at the University of Leeds School of Dentistry, working with colleagues from the University of Manchester and University of Sheffield. It was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and West Yorkshire NHS Integrated Care Board.
You need to be logged in to leave comments.
Report
My comments