Halifax dentists hand out adaptive products for kids with disabilities

Carolyn Ray · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The IWK Health Centre's dentistry section is trying to thatch parents of kids with disabilities antithetic approaches to caring for their teeth, but the squad says families look hurdles simply accessing the astir effectual products connected the market.

Dr. Tracy Doyle said parents and dentists perpetually inquire her for proposal connected however to accommodate dental attraction astatine home.

She said patients tin look a slew of challenges. Some person sensory issues, struggling with the texture and sensation of toothpaste.

"I've adjacent had parents archer maine that children don't similar feeling the bristles connected their gums," Doyle said.

Other patients, she said, person carnal disabilities that mean they trust wholly connected their caregivers to look aft their teeth. That's erstwhile things similar flossing tin beryllium a struggle.

The changeless questions inspired Doyle to squad up with Dr. Jenna McNutt, a dentist who was a pupil astatine Dalhousie University successful Halifax erstwhile they started the project.

They spent 3 years surveying dental attraction professionals crossed the country, asking for adaptive merchandise recommendations and investigating them out.

They landed connected a fig of items, including a three-sided toothbrush that covers a tooth.

"If you're time-limited successful the magnitude of clip that you person to assistance your kid brushwood … this toothbrush allows much bang for your subordinate erstwhile it comes to cleaning surfaces for your teeth," Doyle said.

The dentists besides recovered a toothpaste that has nary sensation and doesn't foam up. For flossing, they recovered a merchandise that looks similar nunchucks that families find easier to handle.

Mackenzie Cranidge, who is 12, tested retired immoderate of the products for the team. She has Down syndrome, and her mom, Jenna Shields, said her girl is present anxious to brushwood her teeth due to the fact that she tin beryllium independent.

"I person noticed that her teeth look a full batch cleaner and she's taking other clip to marque definite she's doing each question correctly wherever she conscionable has to spell backmost and distant alternatively of broadside to side," said Shields.

This is what Doyle wants to spot — much kids uncovering amusive successful their dental care. But she's disquieted astir each the barriers they face.

The products they've recovered are costly and aren't sold successful stores. Doyle had to bid the toothpaste from the United Kingdom. The squad received backing from the IWK and the Thistledown charitable instauration to bargain 200 of each of the products.

They'll beryllium handed retired to patients and Autism Nova Scotia.

Doyle said they'll present power absorption to getting the connection retired astir the effectiveness of the products. She plans to bash outreach with families and dentists crossed the country.

Her anticipation is that 1 day, they'll beryllium casual to get, and children with disabilities volition person 1 little hurdle successful accessing their wellness care.

"That would beryllium unthinkable if those were much easy accessible to our patients."