Halifax dentists hand out adaptive products for kids with disabilities
Items like 3-sided toothbrushes and flavourless toothpaste are effective but difficult to find
The IWK Health Centre's dentistry department is trying to teach parents of kids with disabilities different approaches to caring for their teeth, but the team says families face hurdles simply accessing the most effective products on the market.
Dr. Tracy Doyle said parents and dentists constantly ask her for advice on how to adapt dental care at home.
She said patients can face a slew of challenges. Some have sensory issues, struggling with the texture and taste of toothpaste.
"I've even had parents tell me that children don't like feeling the bristles on their gums," Doyle said.
Other patients, she said, have physical disabilities that mean they rely entirely on their caregivers to look after their teeth. That's when things like flossing can be a struggle.
The constant questions inspired Doyle to team up with Dr. Jenna McNutt, a dentist who was a student at Dalhousie University in Halifax when they started the project.
They spent three years surveying dental care professionals across the country, asking for adaptive product recommendations and testing them out.
They landed on a number of items, including a three-sided toothbrush that covers a tooth.
"If you're time-limited in the amount of time that you have to help your child brush … this toothbrush allows more bang for your buck when it comes to cleaning surfaces for your teeth," Doyle said.
The dentists also found a toothpaste that has no taste and doesn't foam up. For flossing, they found a product that looks like nunchucks that families find easier to handle.
Mackenzie Cranidge, who is 12, tested out some of the products for the team. She has Down syndrome, and her mom, Jenna Shields, said her daughter is now eager to brush her teeth because she can be independent.
"I have noticed that her teeth look a whole lot cleaner and she's taking extra time to make sure she's doing every movement correctly where she just has to go back and forth instead of side to side," said Shields.
This is what Doyle wants to see — more kids finding fun in their dental care. But she's worried about all the barriers they face.
The products they've found are expensive and aren't sold in stores. Doyle had to order the toothpaste from the United Kingdom. The team received funding from the IWK and the Thistledown charitable foundation to buy 200 of each of the products.
They'll be handed out to patients and Autism Nova Scotia.
Doyle said they'll now switch focus to getting the word out about the effectiveness of the products. She plans to do outreach with families and dentists across the country.
Her hope is that one day, they'll be easy to get, and children with disabilities will have one less hurdle in accessing their health care.
"That would be incredible if those were more easily accessible to our patients."
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