Oral Care Products & Alternatives for Patients with Special Needs

July 9, 2020

At In Motion Dentists of Orange County, your doctor and his team have been providing professional mobile special needs dental care for many men and women across the county since 2014. Those with special needs are patients who have physical, medical, intellectual, or physical disabilities requiring special consideration and assistance during professional dental treatment.

If you are the caregiver of someone who requires special needs dental care, you may be wondering why type of oral care products and alternatives are appropriate to use with your loved one. After all, it is important to keep them safe during daily oral care, and ensure they are receiving thorough cleanings to keep them healthy. In this blog, we will discuss some important products you should have on-hand, and other things to watch out for when caring for your loved one with special needs.

Oral Care Products and Alternatives for Special Needs Dental Care

Many of the Orange County patients that your doctor sees through his mobile dental clinic have special needs, which often require modifications to traditional oral health care treatment plans. To better equip the caregivers of his special needs patients, consider some of these top adaptive oral care products and devices:

• Open Wide Mouth Prop
  Patients who are physically unable to keep their mouth open while brushing can benefit greatly from this special needs dental care tool. Caregivers can simply insert the open wide mouth prop into their loved one’s mouth to allow access to the tongue, sides of the teeth, and the biting surface of the teeth. Not to mention, this device will prevent the caregiver’s fingers from being bitten.
• Oral Swabs
  Patients who are unable to swish and spit with mouthwash can benefit from oral swabs. Caregivers can simply dip the oral swab into some mouthwash and carefully swab the inside of the patient’s mouth, teeth, tongue, and gums. Remember, use the open wide mouth prop if needed to ensure easy access to all of these areas.
• Gripit Floss Holder
  Orange County men and women who need assistance flossing can use the gripit floss holder. This special needs dental care device features a wide handle that allows patients to have better grip and control as they floss.
• WaterPik Water Flosser
  If flossing is too difficult or impossible, patients or caregivers can use the WaterPik Water Flosser to remove food and plaque from between the teeth.
• Enamalon Toothpaste
  To aid in special needs dental care, your doctor recommends using Enamalon toothpaste because it provides fluoride absorption into the teeth as well as calcium, and phosphate minerals. This combination helps prevent cavities from forming, tooth sensitivity, and gingivitis.
• Electric Toothbrush
  Special needs dental care can be dramatically improved with the use of an electric toothbrush. Not only do the ultrasonic vibrations clean teeth quickly, but the wide handle feature of electric toothbrushes give special needs patients the ability to firmly grip the brush.
• Toothbrush Adaptors
  Those in Orange County who need help gripping their toothbrush should consider a toothbrush adaptor. These are easily made at home and caregivers or patients can use a bicycle handle or a tennis ball to improve the grip on their toothbrush.

Call your doctor at In Motions Dentists Today with any Questions

If you have further questions or need more recommendations for products you can use for special needs dental care, don’t hesitate to call your doctor and his team at In Motion Dentists. They are ready to help you as you navigate the needs of your loved one so you can provide the best care possible.

You can reach your doctor today by calling his Orange County office at (626) 594-0374.