Oral Hygiene for Neurodivergent Children

This blog is part of a collaboration series on oral hygiene with Kimberley Howard from Creativity & Beyond Occupational Therapy and Mel, Founder of The Face Place.

As a parent, you’ve probably spent years doing your best to ensure your child’s teeth stay clean and healthy, but for neurodivergent children, brushing and flossing can take more effort and planning.

Oral hygiene isn’t just a routine. It’s a complex task that requires fine motor skills, sensory processing, and executive function. If your child struggles with toothbrushing, they might need extra support, adaptations, and understanding to make this process work for them.

Let’s break down why oral hygiene can be a challenge for neurodivergent kids.

Hand & Wrist Development: The Foundation for Independent Brushing

Brushing and flossing require more than just remembering to do them. There’s a whole set of skills involved, including:

• Reflexes and muscle strength

• Hand and wrist development

• Coordination and control

• Range of motion

• Sensory awareness

These are the same skills that help children with tasks like eating, dressing, and writing. If your child struggles in these areas, brushing their teeth might feel just as tricky.

Why Neurodivergent Children May Need Extra Support

Neurodivergent children often have differences in motor skills, coordination, and sensory processing that can make oral hygiene harder. Here’s how these challenges might show up in brushing:

🦷 Muscle Tone and Coordination – Some children have low muscle tone, joint instability, or difficulty with precise movements, making it harder to hold a toothbrush and brush effectively.

🦷 Sensory Sensitivities – The texture of a toothbrush, the taste of toothpaste, or even the feeling of water in their mouth can be overwhelming - or, on the flip side, not stimulating enough.

🦷 Executive Function Challenges – Brushing and flossing involve multiple steps. Children who struggle with memory, sequencing, or motivation may find it tough to start or finish the process without support.

🦷 Day-to-Day Variability – Some days, brushing might go smoothly. Other days, it might feel impossible. Sensory overload, fatigue, or changes in routine can all play a role.

Sensory Considerations for Neurodivergent Children

Sensory challenges are especially common in autistic children, but they can affect children with a variety of neurotypes. Some things to look out for:

🔹 Overstimulation or Understimulation – Some children find brushing unbearable due to heightened sensitivity, while others have reduced awareness in their mouth and struggle to gauge pressure or movement.

🔹 Hand and Wrist Sensory Processing Issues – Poor proprioception (the body’s sense of where it is in space) can make it difficult to apply the right pressure or move the toothbrush effectively.

🔹 Aversion to Taste and Texture – Toothpaste flavours, foaming, and even bristle textures can be too much for some children to tolerate.

Other Factors That Affect Oral Health in Neurodivergent Children

It’s not just about brushing and flossing. Different neurotypes can impact oral health in other ways:

• Motor and Muscle Challenges – Children with conditions like cerebral palsy may have muscle weakness or instability in the mouth, jaw, or upper limbs.

• Restricted Diets – Children with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) or strong food preferences may eat a diet that increases their risk of cavities.

• Cognitive Differences – Children with intellectual disabilities may need extra support understanding why oral hygiene matters and how to follow through with it.

Support for Parents and Caregivers

If brushing is a battle in your house, we understand it's exhausting. Many neurodivergent children need ongoing support with oral hygiene, and that often means parents are taking on extra responsibility. It’s okay to need help.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. There are strategies, tools, and professional support available to make this process easier for both you and your child.

Oral hygiene should be accessible, manageable, and as stress-free as possible for neurodivergent children and their families. Things like sensory-friendly tools, visual schedules, and hands-on support can make a huge difference.

🎧 Want to dive deeper? Kim joined Mel on Episode 21 of The Face Place Podcast to chat all things neurodiversity.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to oral care. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s finding what works for your child and your family.

Mel 🦷✨

About The Face Place
The Face Place supports families with early intervention care for children’s oral function and dental health. Led by Oral Health Therapist Melanie Van Schelven, our approach blends clinical insight with family-centered education, helping parents understand why something’s happening and what to do next.

Visit thefaceplaceofm.com.au for more free guides and evidence-based support.