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Brushing Teeth for Autistic Children — Printable Visual Steps

A printable picture chart to help your autistic child learn tooth brushing — made for Indian families.

This printable visual schedule breaks tooth brushing into clear, picture-based steps — paste it near the bathroom mirror at your child's eye level and let the routine build day by day.

See also: Visual Schedule Builder and Washing Hands.

Free on screen — printing is part of Lite

1
Brushing Teeth step 1 for autistic child — Pick up the toothbrush

Pick up the toothbrush

2
Brushing Teeth step 2 for autistic child — Open the toothpaste cap

Open the toothpaste cap

3
Brushing Teeth step 3 for autistic child — Put paste on the brush — pea size

Put paste on the brush — pea size

4
Brushing Teeth step 4 for autistic child — Close the toothpaste cap

Close the toothpaste cap

5
Brushing Teeth step 5 for autistic child — Turn on the tap

Turn on the tap

6
Brushing Teeth step 6 for autistic child — Wet the brush — 2 seconds

Wet the brush — 2 seconds

7
Brushing Teeth step 7 for autistic child — Brush upper teeth — 10 times

Brush upper teeth — 10 times

8
Brushing Teeth step 8 for autistic child — Brush lower teeth — 10 times

Brush lower teeth — 10 times

9
Brushing Teeth step 9 for autistic child — Rinse twice and spit

Rinse twice and spit

10
Brushing Teeth step 10 for autistic child — Rinse the brush

Rinse the brush

11
Brushing Teeth step 11 for autistic child — Put the brush back in the stand

Put the brush back in the stand

12
Brushing Teeth step 12 for autistic child — Turn off the tap

Turn off the tap

Parent guide

Before you start

Many autistic children find toothpaste taste and foam overwhelming. Try a mild or flavour-free paste, and start with a tiny pea-sized amount. Let your child feel the brush on a hand first. Warm water is gentler than cold for many children.

How to teach

Try backward chaining: you do all the steps, but let your child do the very last step themselves. Next time, let them do the last two — working backwards. This way your child always finishes with success, and success is what makes them want to try again.

Celebrate each tick

Don't wait for the whole routine to be perfect. Every single step your child does is worth a smile, a clap, a high-five. Small wins, celebrated out loud, add up faster than you think.

Everywhere, not just here

Use simple, generic pictures so the skill travels. Practice at nani's or dadi's house too, not only at home. A skill your child can only do in one bathroom isn't finished yet — the goal is that it works everywhere.

Keep this brushing teeth sheet with you

A free account saves the steps your child has mastered, unlocks printing, and remembers where you left off on every skill.

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Questions parents ask

My autistic child hates the taste of toothpaste — what do I do?

Start with a tiny, mild or flavour-free paste, or even a wet brush at first — the habit matters more than the paste. Many autistic children are sensitive to strong mint, so try a child’s fruit-flavour paste and increase the amount slowly as they get comfortable.

How long does it take an autistic child to learn brushing?

There is no fixed timeline — some children master one step a week, others take longer, and both are fine. What helps most is doing the same steps in the same order every day, and celebrating each small step your child does on their own.

Should I brush for my child or let them do it?

Do both for now. Use backward chaining — you do most of the brushing, and let your child finish the last step so they always end with a success. Slowly hand over more steps as they grow confident.

Related skills

If this task keeps ending in meltdowns, Decode My Child can help you understand what's really happening. →Add this skill to a daily routine with the Visual Schedule Builder. →
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