Dental work can be a challenge—especially when access to sedation dentistry is limited. For my autistic brother, Tommy, routine dental care has always been difficult. We typically have to schedule months in advance just to secure one annual cleaning under sedation.
In between, daily brushing is its own battle. Growing up, we broke the process down step by step using task analysis, but he never became fully independent with it. Now, as an adult, finding a feasible way to support his dental hygiene has been a priority.
Our latest solution? A sonic mouthguard toothbrush. Instead of struggling with a traditional brush, Tommy has been learning to tolerate and maneuver this device over time. This video shows his first time with it so we started with just having him keep it still in his mouth and since then have worked to have him move it around. It’s not perfect, and a regular toothbrush might give a deeper clean—but compared to barely brushing at all, this is a huge win.
This experience has been a reminder that when supporting individuals with disabilities, meeting people where they are is more impactful than striving for perfection. Whether in daily life, education, or employment, sometimes success looks like adjusting the approach—not the expectation of progress.
If you’re interested in the toothbrush we’re using, I’m happy to share the link!
What creative solutions have you found to meet the needs of those you support?
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