Improving oral health for all: focusing on determinants and conditions

Abstract

An important aspect of the policies to reduce inequalities is the shift in focus towards conditions of living from the earlier emphasis on changing individuals. This paper addresses the pressing question of which oral health promotion and prevention approaches dental workers should adopt to improving oral health for all. The paper outlines a critique of lifestyle approaches, and argu ments are presented that lifestyle is an expression of the social and cultural circumstances that condition and constrain behaviour in addition to the per sonal decisions the individual may make. Three approaches to oral health promotion are suggested: a population rather than individual approach; a common risk factor approach and multidisciplinary working. By adopting a whole-population health promotion, common-risk/health-factor approach and integrating oral health with general health policies, policies to promote oral health should become more effective and efficient. What is more, oral health will cease to be marginalised. Dentists must become team members in advocacy and education with other organisations, including public-sector and community organisations.