#ive had mental health related issues with brusing my teeth in the past and even now falter with it

[nicastamatis]

just want to add a few comments on the above, as someone who works in dentistry (though, i don't have sensory issues, so this is much more focused towards what's best for your oral health in general)

whats right:

interdental aids: absolutely floss, especially if you aren't brushing. the alternatives to flossing listed above are all professionally recommended if you can't do floss.

-> interdental brushes or picks are what i use; these are small brushes or toothpicks that you gently push between your teeth. there may be some bleeding when you first start out with these, but that's normal. make sure you first try with the smallest size and only get bigger ones if you have bigger gaps. if you struggle to reach into your mouth, there are varieties available with a longer handle. most prolific brand for these is probably TePe.

-> i've never used a water flosser, but many of the patients ive worked with have gotten good results with it. it justs blasts water in between your teeth to get dirt outta there.

-> floss sticks/floss picks are what the person above uses; these are pieces of floss attached to a handle that can make it a little easier to wield.

soft bristles: even for people who have no trouble brushing, soft bristles are recommended. while i've never heard of soaking it in mouthwash overnight, dentists do recommend brushing with hot water to soften the bristles. cold water, meanwhile, hardens them.

-> natural brushes are definitely worth a shot if you're desperate, but do note that they are just the same as normal brushes; just make sure whatever natural brush you get says that it's soft.

sugar-free chewing gum: definitely seconding this. sugar-free gum contains the sugar substitute xylitol, which has been found to neutralise acids in the mouth (as opposed to sugar, which causes them). sugar-free is the keyword, though. other gum will not help and in fact will make your oral health worse. just be careful to keep it away from your pets; xylitol is toxic to dogs.

i would also suggest separating the brushing and the toothpaste segments. brushing your teeth with just water to do the mechanical cleaning and then rubbing toothpaste on with a cloth or your finger to get the fluoride action might be less intensive than both at the same time.

the current recommended technique for brushing is to hold your brush at a 45 degree angle facing the gums, and use circular motions to clean the teeth. you should be gentle <- important. not only does pressure probably feel worse, but it's worse for your teeth. this video has a demonstration of the recommended method.

what you should take caution with:

activated charcoal: don't use activated charcoal as a replacement for regular toothpaste. while it may have been used as such in the past, activated charcoal is abraisive, and will cause serious damage to your teeth if you use it twice a day every day. in the moden day, it's still used as a toothpaste ingredient, but only in whitening toothpaste to remove surface level stains (<- not decay, it has no effect on decay, just benign stains). don't use it as toothpaste.

-> moreover, while i doubt it would have as much effect as it would ingested, do note that activated charcoal can make pills, particularly contraceptives, less effective.

toothpaste alternatives: in general, it should be fine to use the other alternatives listed. i personally don't know of any issues with them. but i want to stress that this should be a last resort. fluoride is important; it strengthens your enamel and pulls a lot of weight in preventing and stopping the progression of decay. it's especially important if you don't live in an area with fluoridated water, and aren't using fluoride mouthwash. even if you rub toothpaste on your teeth like an ointment, that will be more effective at protecting your teeth than other options (don't immediately rinse, though. its awful, i know, and i'm sorry; that's how the fluoride takes action.)

-> i would personally recommend this order of action: try a different brand of toothpaste -> try kids toothpaste -> use even less than a pea-sized amount -> use non-fluoride toothpaste -> baking soda paste/make your own.

-> you could also try looking into a non-foaming toothpaste

-> if you do use a baking-soda paste or make your own toothpaste, try using a fluoride gel as well to supplement it.

toothbrush alternatives: using your finger or using a cloth can definitely be effective in getting paste on there, but, like with toothpaste alternatives, i would suggest using it as a last resort, if you can't bear with anything else even a little bit. neither a cloth nor a finger has the fine detail to properly clean the pits & fissures of your teeth, nor do they have the ability to remove debris from the gaps between your teeth and gums. you will be at higher risk of developing interdental caries & tartar.

-> if you do use a cloth, make sure to at least try using interdental aids regularly. this will get the bulk of the dirt out of your free gingivae, even if you aren't brushing.

i don't mean to seem like a dick to the person above; while these methods may have been used in the past and might work for you, i did just want to stress that there is a reason why different methods are used now, and you should be aware of the fact that it may be less effective before you choose how to proceed.

even combining methods might work for you. if you feel like you can push yourself through brushing maybe once a week, and use alternatives the rest of the week, thats better than not brushing at all.

all that said, if all else fails, i definitely agree with at least rinsing your mouth. salt water rinses (doesn't need much salt. a pinch will do.) help stave off infection and are often recommended by dentists. i would add, though, to also rinse after eating. if you aren't brushing, it's especially important to wash away any debris and sugars clinging to your teeth after meals. you don't even need to spit, just swilling a glass of water around your mouth before you swallow should be ok. just make sure you're not doing it with sugary drinks.

(and try to clean between your teeth in whatever way works for you. vitally important. your dentist really isn't kidding about flossing.)

I have trouble taking care of my teeth because everything that involves doing that is a sensory nightmare. I decide to do some research to see if there's anything I can do about this. The results?

"How to make your autistic child brush their teeth"

"Autistic Children and Sensory issues relating to tooth brushing"

"How to get your little shit to brush his fucking teeth"

Like, yeah Google, thanks, that really helps. And like, even if I was a child, some of the advice seemed... unhelpful. Like, doing a dance and singing a song while brushing your teeth? Even for a kid, I don't think that would help distract from a sensory experience as intense as brushing your teeth. Like, the extremely intense and unpleasant flavor, the intense feeling of the brush against your teeth scraping across it, even mouthwash has such an intense and disgusting flavor that I have difficulty keeping it in my mouth for more than a few seconds. I wish there was SOMETHING that could be done.