Most of us have experienced difficulty concentrating at some point. However, staying focused can be chronically challenging for some people. It impacts their ability to do everyday tasks and succeed in daily life.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological condition that affects millions of people, ranging from young children to adults. The disorder can cause increased inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in people, making it very difficult to do tasks most of us see as easy.
You may wonder: “What does ADHD have to do with dental hygiene?”
Unfortunately, people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may struggle to focus on routine tasks that need daily attention, such as brushing and flossing their teeth. ADHD can make it hard to keep to a routine, like the act of brushing twice a day.
Similarly, the impulsivity and forgetfulness brought on by ADHD can lead to poor oral health habits, such as skipping brushing or a dental visit. This can lead to fear of dental procedures.
This means that people with ADHD are sometimes at increased risk of poor oral health and dental caries—decay or cavities. While this issue is common for those with ADHD, there is hope.
At Mountain View Family Dental, we empathize with adults and children with ADHD and strive to help them create strategies that lead to better oral hygiene habits.
In this blog, we’ll dive deeper into the connection between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and poor dental health habits. We have several simple tricks that can help patients achieve a beautiful smile.
Understanding ADHD Symptoms and Dental Hygiene Challenges
As we mentioned, people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have a higher likelihood of dental issues, such as cavities, oral diseases, and more. These stem from inconsistent, poor oral hygiene practices that often result from ADHD symptoms.
Here are some of the most common issues and oral health complications we see in patients with ADHD:
- Tooth Decay and Oral Infections: Patients with ADHD are more likely to have cavities and infections because of inconsistent brushing and flossing. People with ADHD also tend to snack on sugary or starchy foods because these foods satisfy the cravings and hyperfixations they may be experiencing;
- Gum Disease: Tooth decay can eventually lead to gum inflammation because of plaque buildup along the gumline. This inflammation can become gingivitis over time, or even worse, periodontal disease, signaled by bleeding gums. People with ADHD are more likely to experience these issues as their impulsivity may make them avoid seeking dental care until it’s too late;
- Teeth Grinding: ADHD sufferers often deal with heightened stress and anxiety. This can lead to bruxism, or teeth grinding. Bruxism usually happens during sleep, leading to worn down teeth, jaw pain, or broken teeth. On top of this, the stimulants used to treat ADHD may also cause teeth grinding as a side effect;
- Dry Mouth: Another common side effect of ADHD medications is a dry mouth. Saliva helps neutralize acids and food particles that can wear down our teeth, so reduced saliva production means cavities and other issues are more likely to occur;
- Traumatic Dental Injuries: Impulsivity and hyperactivity can put ADHD sufferers at increased risk of accidents, which may lead to oral trauma. Chipped, broken, or knocked-out teeth are often more common among ADHD patients, especially children;
- Poor Diet: ADHD patients often eat more sugary snacks and drinks, and sensory issues may cause them to avoid healthy foods like vegetables, which can impact their dental hygiene.
ADHD Medication and a Dry Mouth
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is often treated with stimulants like Adderall or Vyvanse. Because these medications can cause a dry mouth, it’s important to understand how to make up for the lack of saliva in the mouth and ensure food particles are getting washed away.
A dentist may suggest saliva substitutes to increase moisture in the mouth. This may include drinking more water or taking additional medication and moisturizers to improve a patient's saliva production.
Similarly, a dentist may advise limiting sugary foods and drinks. This can greatly reduce the risk of cavities in those with ADHD and dry mouth. Sugar-free substitutes can be a great option in these cases.
Dentists may also suggest more frequent dental appointments for those who have a dry mouth. This will help to monitor any changes in the mouth and address any issues more quickly.
Of course, a key item to consider with patients who have ADHD is how their disorder impacts their oral health behavior. Their behavior may result in poor oral hygiene habits because they struggle to focus or have motivation, which is beyond the patient’s control.
Dentists can help create strategies to encourage oral hygiene to help them. They may work with therapists to discuss the patient’s motivation, use apps or games to support good routines, or use positive reinforcement and rewards. These are all known to work wonders for ADHD patients.
Role of Dentist Offices in Supporting Patients with ADHD
At Mountain View Family Dental, we want to create a supportive environment for all kinds of patients, including those with ADHD.
We are a judgment-free zone—we want our patients to feel understood and cared for, and not make them feel like they’re in trouble for struggling with healthy oral hygiene habits. People return to the dentist and look after their teeth when they feel empowered and cared for.
Our dental professionals are trained in cultural competence and empathy to help make ADHD patients feel at home. We use personalized communication strategies to build trust and help address the patient’s needs. We also value their feedback on how to create a positive experience.
In the next sections, we’ll share the ways dentists play a role in helping ADHD patients to achieve good oral health.
Creating a Supportive Environment in Dental Offices
Creating a welcoming, sensory-friendly environment can help people with ADHD feel more at home in the dentist’s office.
Dental professionals might use soothing music, muted colors on the walls and furniture, and plants or aquariums in the waiting area to create a relaxing vibe. A space that feels clean and open can help avoid overstimulation, which prevents overwhelm in ADHD patients with dental anxiety.
In addition to a relaxing environment, a dental practice may provide sensory tools to help the patient feel relaxed. These can be items such as stress balls, fidget toys, weighted blankets, and others to improve the sensory experience. Patients can also bring their preferred sensory items from home to their dental appointment.
Finally, our office also uses a therapy dog to help patients feel at ease. Giving pets to a furry friend can help the patient take their mind off the dental experience and enjoy themselves during the process.
Use of Visual Aids and Clear Communication
Another way to make dental visits more relaxing for those with ADHD is to use visual aids and clear communication to help them understand what to expect. Posters or pamphlets with step-by-step guides or interactive demonstrations can help hold the patient’s focus and make it clear they’re in a safe and welcoming space.
The patient’s age may also affect communication styles during a dental appointment. Children with ADHD might prefer colorful and interactive guides while adults may prefer more to-the-point descriptions of their dental care. In either case, using clear and easy-to-understand language is effective for communicating with ADHD patients. Dentists can avoid using complex words and jargon and be more straightforward.
Training Our Dental Office to Understand ADHD
At our office, we prioritize helping our staff understand the needs of many different types of patients during dental treatment, including those with ADHD.
We are patient and empathetic to the needs of these patients and work to understand the best ways we can help them with their oral health problems. We listen to patient feedback closely and evolve our processes to ensure a dental appointment is an easy and comfortable experience for everyone, especially when treating children.
Tailored Preventative Care Strategies
To meet the unique needs of ADHD patients in their oral healthcare, we help create tailored plans to guide them through oral hygiene.
These plans are a collaborative effort between the patient and their dentist. They focus on realistic goals they can easily commit to. This increases the chance that they’ll stick to the dental care routine and make progress in their oral health.
We also suggest adjustments to make their tooth-brushing schedule and flossing easier. Whether these are switching to an electric toothbrush with a timer or a new flavor of toothpaste, we can recommend items that will make the sensory experience of brushing your teeth more enjoyable.
Use of Reminders and Tools to Support Daily Care
Reminders and tools are critical to helping ADHD patients remember to care for their teeth.
Smartphone apps or alarms can help signal to a patient that it is time to brush their teeth and offer fun enhancements like goal tracking, progress markers, and rewards for consistent brushing and flossing. This can make a patient feel more motivated and excited to brush their teeth.
Even smart toothbrushes that connect to phones via Bluetooth can be helpful—they help the patient brush for the full two minutes they need to keep their teeth healthy.
Strategies for Enhancing Motivation and Engagement
External reminders and rewards are great strategies, but long-lasting results in dental care can depend on intrinsic motivation.
Building motivation in ADHD patients is important—they’ll find the routine more natural and easy when they’re motivated to continue it simply for the betterment of their oral health education.
Dentists can work with them to create goals in their oral care process that can help them feel empowered to take action.
Structured Routines for Consistency
Though dentists can help the patients in our office, it’s up to you to reinforce positive behavior, manage your or your child’s ADHD, and promote consistent oral hygiene at home on a daily basis.
Creating structured routines can help with this. Integrate brushing and flossing into daily routines and make it a ritual—perhaps you will always brush in the morning after breakfast, and always after putting your pajamas on at night.
You can even use visual checklists and schedules to check oral care off the list when you’re finished. This helps break brushing and flossing into easy steps to reduce overwhelm in ADHD patients.
Finally, get your family involved!
Supporting each other and cheering each other on can make a difference in practicing good oral health habits if one or more people in your home live with ADHD. Praise and positive reinforcement from loved ones can help you or your children stick to your routines.
Contact Mountain View Family Dental Office
We know dental health can be a struggle for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but we’re here to provide you with strategies to make it easy.
Contact Mountain View Family Dental to learn more about our strategies for optimal oral health for ADHD patients and help yourself or your loved one work toward a healthy smile.
