Oral Health and Oral Health Promotion

Abstract

World Health Organization recognizes oral health as an important component of general health, and furthermore, oral health is essential for well-being. The majority of oral diseases is related to lifestyles and reducing these mostly chronic diseases relies much on changing behaviour. Changes for the better in behaviour can and do occur, but require commitment and expertise within health promotion. Customs, practices and lifestyle issues play a role in the oral health of a community and should be considered when national policies and programmes are being formulated. Oral health and general health share common factors related to diet, the use of tobacco, and the excessive consumption of alcohol and the solutions to control oral disease are to be found through shared approaches with integrated chronic disease prevention. Oral health promotion is an integral part of general health promotion. Together, oral health promotion and general health promotion address the inseparable issues of systemic and oral diseases, general and oral hygiene, general and oral health care attitudes, and general health services as well as dental services. Thus, oral health promotion and oral disease prevention should embrace what is termed ‘the common risk factor approach’; leading to the integration of oral health promotion into broader health promotion. Each country should produce a thorough description of its population in terms of demographics, socioeconomics, health, diet, nutrition, and cultural factors affecting oral health knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours. The case of Slovenia is used as an example.