From victim blaming to upstream action: tackling the social determinants of oral health inequalities

A qualitative meta-synthesis of carers' perceptions of factors influencing preschool children's oral hygiene practices-A social practices perspective

OBJECTIVES

This study comprises a synthesis of published qualitative studies from developed countries on the perspectives of carers regarding the oral hygiene toothbrushing practices of preschool children, through the lens of social practice theory.

METHODS

A search of the following electronic databases was conducted for all available years: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health using the Ovid platform; Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source (DOSS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Scopus. Included qualitative studies reported primary caregivers' perceptions of oral hygiene practices (focusing on toothbrushing) in preschool children (0-5 years old) in developed countries. A thematic synthesis of the qualitative findings was undertaken for the results of each study.

RESULTS

Eleven articles were included in this meta-synthesis. The focus of this paper was toothbrushing practices. A conceptual map of toothbrushing as a social practice was developed. Key findings included practice elements (meanings, competences, and materials), spatial and temporal aspects, and barriers and facilitators to performance.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of a social practice lens to published qualitative research on the oral hygiene of preschool children provided insights into the meanings and competences related to toothbrushing, as perceived by primary caregivers. However, it also revealed limited information on material, spatial and temporal aspects of toothbrushing practices, indicating the importance of considering social practice theory as a framework in future research to address this gap. Furthermore, exploring toothbrushing in connection with related social practices has the potential to increase understanding of factors influencing oral health in preschool children.

Addressing COVID-19 and Health Literacy Disparities Among Correctional Facility Residents Through Dialogue-Based Education

Carceral communities face heightened COVID-19-related risks while simultaneously experiencing medical mistrust and limited access to health information and services. Health education programs that incorporate dialogue-based, participatory learning models have been shown to motivate health behavior and increase health knowledge in carceral settings. To increase health literacy and change COVID-19-related health behavior among jail residents in the United States, a local health department developed a dialogue-based education program centered around COVID-19 prevention, misinformation, and navigating health care systems. Dialogue-based health information sessions took place in person in a county jail. Pre- and postsurveys gauged the sessions' influence on self-reported health literacy and behavior intention. Overall, 595 residents collectively attended 43 facilitated discussions. Key findings indicate that dialogue-based education can temper medical mistrust, influencing COVID-19 preventive behaviors and increasing health literacy in a carceral setting.

Towards the integration of prevention and control of oral diseases within child primary healthcare: The case of Peru

OBJECTIVES

The Peruvian public health norm of primary healthcare (PHC) for growth and development medical check-ups (CRED, Spanish acronym) of children under 5 years of age was updated in 2017 with the inclusion of interdisciplinary prevention and control actions for oral diseases, such as dentist referral. The aim of this study was to explore the association between CRED and oral health services utilization (OHSU), throughout the heterogeneous Peruvian territory.

METHODS

A population-based cross sectional study was conducted using the 2021 Demographic and Family Health Survey of Peru and included data from 15 836 children aged 12-59 months. Poisson generalized linear models were used to evaluate the association between any CRED and OHSU, in the 6 months prior to the survey, including sociodemographic characteristics of the children and their mothers as confounding variables. A possible effect modification by natural region of residence (Metropolitan Lima/rest of the Coast/Highlands/Jungle) was evaluated. To examine the robustness of the regression model, a sensitivity analysis was performed using the cumulative number of CRED.

RESULTS

Children who had at least one CRED were almost twice as likely to report OHSU (aPR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.73-2.21), which was greater in the regions of rest of the Coast (aPR: 2.56; 95% CI: 2.00-3.17) and Jungle (aPR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.64-2.56). The sensitivity analysis showed consistent results for the association CRED-OHSU. Nevertheless, within the last 6 months, attendance at CRED and OHSU were only achieved by 43.7% and 13.7% of the children respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating oral health into Peruvian Child PHC seems to be a promising public health intervention to increase children's OHSU. For a greater scope, it is crucial to drive greater attendance at CRED and continuous monitoring and strengthening of CRED-based oral health promotion in all Peruvian natural regions with an equity-focused approach.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on early-childhood-caries global data

OBJECTIVES

The present study systematically reviewed and provided a meta-analysis on early childhood caries (ECC) global prevalence and its association with socioeconomic indicators, both geographical and regarding unemployment rate, national income as well as income inequalities.

METHODS

Only cross-sectional or cohort studies covering ECC prevalence and experience in children younger than 71 months, reporting sample size, diagnostic criteria and conducted in urban and rural communities were considered. No language restriction was selected. Studies published from 2011 to 2022 available in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Open Grey literature were retrieved by ad hoc prepared search strings. The meta-analyses were conducted for both overall ECC prevalence and experience stratified by country of publication as well as measures of socioeconomic indicators using a random effects model using STATA 18®.

RESULTS

One hundred publications reporting ECC data from 49 countries (published from 2011 to 2022) were included and summarized by meta-analysis. The lowest prevalence was reported in Japan (20.6%) and Greece (19.3%). The global estimated random-effect pooled prevalence of ECC was 49% (95%CI: 0.44-0.55). The random-effect pooled caries prevalence (ECC) was 34% (95%CI: 02.20-0.48) (Central/South America), 36% (95%CI: 0.25-0.47) (Europe), 42% (95%CI: 0.32-0.53) (Africa), 52% (95%CI: 0.45-0.60) (Asia-Oceania), 57% (95%CI: 0.36-0.77) (North America) and 72% (95%CI: 0.58-0.85) (Middle East). When stratified by gross national income (GNI) the ECC prevalence ranged from 30% ($20,000-$39,999) to 57% in countries with the lowest GNI (<$5000). Stratification by inequality index (Gini index) resulted in an ECC prevalence range of 39% (low inequality) to 62% (no inequality), while for life expectancy the ECC prevalence ranged from 28% in countries with the highest life expectancy (< 80 years) to 62% in countries with 71-75 years life expectancy.

DISCUSSION

Within the limitations of this study (lack of certainty about the results as many countries are not represented and lack of uniformity in prevalence and experience data represented), results from 49 different countries reported a wide range of ECC prevalence. These reports indicated persisting high worldwide distribution of the disease. Both ECC prevalence and experience were associated with geographical areas and GNI.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO: CRD-42,022,290,418.

What is the impact of the UK soft drinks industry levy on childhood tooth decay?

DESIGN

Interrupted time series analysis.

DATA ANALYSIS

An interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was conducted to determine if there was an association between the announcement and implementation of the soft drinks industry levy (SDIL) and rates of hospital admission for tooth extractions due to dental caries in children. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) were used on hospital admissions for tooth extraction of one or more primary or permanent tooth due to a primary diagnosis of dental caries in children aged 0-18 years attending a National Health Service (NHS) hospital in England from January 2012 (pre-SDIL) to February 2020 (post-SDIL implementation). HES data were grouped and summarised by Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and age group.

RESULTS

There was an absolute reduction of 3.7% (95% CI 5.3% to 2.2%) per 100,000 population/month and a relative reduction of 12.1% (95% CI 17.0% to 7.2%) in hospital admissions for carious tooth extractions in all children (0-18 years) compared if there had been no announcement of the SDIL (counterfactual scenario). Reductions were observed in children living in most areas regardless of the level of deprivation and most notably in the youngest children (<10 years).

CONCLUSIONS

An ITS analysis of administrative data on hospital admissions found the announcement of the UK SDIL was associated with improvements (reduction) in the incidence of hospital admissions for tooth extractions due to dental caries. This study provides evidence of benefits of the UK SDIL to children's oral health.

Applying Social Practice Theory to Explore Australian Preschool Children's Oral Health

INTRODUCTION

Despite substantial research and provision of dental care, significant morbidity remains for children's oral health. Guided by social practice theory (SPT), this research moves away from the often-ineffective focus on changing individual behavior to rethinking the centrality of the social world in promoting or undermining oral health outcomes. We define social practice as a routinized relational activity linking and integrating certain elements (competence, materials, and meanings) into the performance of a practice that is reproduced across time and space.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate oral health in preschool children in Perth, Western Australia, using social practice theory.

METHODS

With no definitive methodology for investigating SPT, we chose focused ethnography as a problem-focused, context-specific approach using mainly interviews to investigate participants' experience caring for their children's oral health. The focus of analysis was the practice of oral health care, not individual behavior, where themes identified from participants' transcripts were organized into categories of elements and performance.

RESULTS

Eleven parents, all of whom were married or partnered, were interviewed in 2021. Findings identified social practices relevant to oral health within parenting and family relations linked to routine daily activities, including shopping, consumption of food and beverages, and toothbrushing. Oral health literacy was reflected in integrating competence, materials, and meanings into performing oral health care, notably preferences for children to drink water over sugary beverages and information often being sourced from social media and mothers' groups rather than health providers.

CONCLUSION

Focusing on social practices as the unit of analysis offers a more layered understanding of elements in young children's oral health care that can indicate where the problem may lie. Findings provide an opportunity to consider future research and policy directions in children's oral health.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

Examining social practices related to young children's oral health care identifies parents/carers' knowledge about, for example, toothbrushing, the resources required, and why toothbrushing is important. Analyzing these separate elements can reveal both enablers and barriers to oral health care. This provides researchers, clinicians and policymakers an opportunity to focus on not changing individual behavior but understanding how social context impacts parents/carers' capacity to make optimum decisions around young children's oral health.

Contemporary dental student professionalism: moving towards a macro-level perspective

Defining professionalism and developing educational interventions that foster and assess student professionalism are integral to dental education. Nevertheless, conceptual, methodological and pedagogic differences define the academic field, leaving students, educators and the profession itself struggling to make meaningful progress on how best to elicit and monitor dental student professionalism. This article proposes that more progress can be made on this important issue when a contextualised, sociological assessment of dentistry and dental professionalism is undertaken. We contend that identifying some of the socio-cultural demands in UK dental students' lives, and acknowledging how these pressures shape their interactions with the UK dental education system, provides a nuanced and contemporaneous understanding of what it means to be an oral health care professional at a time of social and health care upheaval. Dental educators can use this insight to work towards being more understanding of and responsive to dental student professional development.

Systemic racism and racial inequities in periodontal health: The long journey from upstream determinants to downstream treatment

Racial disparities in the prevalence of periodontal disease are consistent and persistent. The epidemiology of periodontal disease demonstrates racial inequities: non-Hispanic Black (14.7%), Mexican American (13.4%), and other Hispanic adults (7.8%) experience a higher prevalence of severe periodontal disease than non-Hispanic White adults (5.9%). Epidemiologic and clinical research on periodontal health suffers from the same problem that has plagued the health equity movement, an over emphasis on describing racial inequities coupled with few interventions that reduce racial health inequity. Over the decades that racial inequities in periodontal disease have been observed, many have argued that systemic racism is the fundamental driver of racial health inequity. This paper interrogates the roles of systemic racism, dental education, clinical treatment, and patient behavior in periodontal disease. We describe how, together, these mechanisms contribute to racial disparities in periodontal outcomes. However, it is insufficient for oral health equity scientists to only describe and discuss the negative effects of systemic racism. The imperative is to create antiracist strategies designed to eliminate systemic racism. Health equity scientists must also specify how dental systems operate in a racist manner and create effective clinical strategies designed to reduce racial disparities in periodontal disease.

Psychosocial factors, dentist-patient relationships, and oral health-related quality of life: a structural equation modelling

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial factors and dentist-patient relationships (DPR) have been suggested to be associated with oral health outcomes. This study aimed to test a conceptual model which hypothesised relationships among psychosocial factors, DPR variables, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in the 'distal-to-proximal' framework.

METHODS

A total of 12,245 adults aged 18 years or over living in South Australia were randomly sampled for the study. Data were collected from self-complete questionnaires in 2015-2016. The outcome variable of Oral Health Impact Profile was used to measure OHRQoL. Psychosocial domain consisted of psychological well-being, social support, and health self-efficacy. DPR domain included trust in dentists, satisfaction with dental care, and dental fear. The hypothesised model was tested using the two-step approach in structural equation modelling.

RESULTS

Data were analysed from 3767 respondents after the screening/preparing process (adjusted valid response rate 37.4%). In the first step of the analysis, confirmatory factor analyses produced acceptable measurement models for each of the six latent variables (GFI = 0.95, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.04). The final structural model indicated that better well-being, higher self-efficacy, and more satisfaction were associated with lower oral health impact (β = - 0.12, - 0.07, - 0.14, respectively) whereas fear was positively associated (β = 0.19). Among intermediates, support was positively associated with satisfaction within a small effect size (β = 0.06) as compared to self-efficacy with trust (β = 0.22). The invariance of the final model was also confirmed on participants' SES and dental service characteristics except the variable of 'last dental visit'.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychosocial factors and DPR variables were associated with oral health impact in both direct and indirect paths. The framework of 'distal-to-proximal' actions is empirically supported from psychosocial factors via DPR variables to OHRQoL.

Moving towards social dentistry: How do dentists perceive the Montreal-Toulouse model?

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to understand the perspectives of dentists towards the Montreal-Toulouse model, an innovative approach that encompasses person-centredness and social dentistry. This model invites dentists to take three types of actions (understanding, decision-making, intervening) on three overlapping levels (individual, community, societal). This study aimed to understand (a) How dentists perceived the Montreal-Toulouse model as a framework for the practice of dentistry and (b) What parts of this model they were ready to adopt in their own practice.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted based on semi-structured interviews with a sample of dentists in the Province of Quebec, Canada. A combination of maximum variation and snowball sampling strategies was employed and 14 information-rich participants were recruited. The interviews were conducted and audio-recorded through Zoom and lasted approximately 1 h and a half. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed through a combination of inductive and deductive coding.

RESULTS

The participants explained they valued person-centred care and tried to put the individual level of the Montreal-Toulouse model into practice. However, they expressed little interest in the social dentistry aspects of the model. They acknowledged not knowing how to organize and conduct upstream interventions and were not comfortable with social and political activism. According to them, advocating for better health-related policies, while a noble act, 'was not their job'. They also highlighted the structural challenges that dentists face in fostering biopsychosocial approaches such as the Montreal-Toulouse model.

CONCLUSIONS

To promote the Montreal-Toulouse model and empower dentists to address social determinants of health, an educational and organizational 'paradigm shift' towards social accountability might be necessary. Such a shift requires curricular modifications and reconsidering traditional teaching approaches in dental schools. Moreover, dentistry's professional organization could facilitate dentists' upstream actions through proper resource allocation and openness to collaboration with them.

Lower socio-economic status in adolescence is associated with poor oral health at an older age: Mediation by social and behavioural factors

AIM

To examine the mediators between lower socio-economic status (SES) in adolescence and oral health at an older age to uncover the underlying mechanisms of the association.

METHODS

Participants (n = 21 536) aged ≥65 years from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study were evaluated. The dependent variables were self-rated chewing difficulty and having ≤19 remaining teeth. The main independent variable was self-perceived SES in adolescence. The Karlson-Holm-Breen method was used for mediation analysis.

RESULTS

Mean age of the participants was 74.8 years (standard deviation = 6.4), and 51.5% were female. Overall, 5598 (26.0%) participants reported chewing difficulty and 9404 (43.7%) had ≤19 remaining teeth. Lower SES in adolescence was associated with a higher prevalence of chewing difficulty (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95%confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-1.48; total effect). After controlling for mediators, OR for lower SES in adolescence was 1.22 (95%CI = 1.13-1.30; direct effect) and 1.13 (95%CI = 1.11-1.16; indirect effect). Mediators, prominently the number of teeth and income, explained 39.3% of the associations. Lower SES in adolescence increased the odds of ≤19 remaining teeth by OR = 1.23 (95% CI = 1.16-1.31; total effect). After controlling for mediators, the OR for lower SES in adolescence was 1.03 (95%CI = 0.97-1.10; direct effect) and 1.19 (95%CI = 1.16-1.23; indirect effect). Mediators, prominently educational attainment, explained 85.0% of the associations.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower SES in adolescence was associated with poor oral health at an older age through mediators. Approaches that consider social determinants from the beginning of the life course are required.

Barriers and enablers for oral health promotion programs amongst primary healthcare stakeholders in Qatar - a qualitative investigation

BACKGROUND

Oral health of preschool children remains a concern globally. Primary healthcare providers are in a vital position to support preventive oral care programmes. This study explored current practices, perception and barriers of primary health care professionals towards oral health promotion program of children in Qatar.

METHODS

The qualitative research used focus group discussions and interviewed a total of 108 participants that were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Four major themes emerged and were analysed to explore contextual patterns within the data.

RESULTS

Participants acknowledged the high prevalence of caries in children and identified the causes in the local context which included parental practices, poor dietary habits, impact of culture lack of oral health knowledge, limitations in the healthcare system, and negative role of the media. However, complex barriers were exposed, including lack of time and ownership, system coordination between organizations, and lack of policy.

CONCLUSION

Health professionals and bureaucrats involved in decision-making held a positive attitude towards oral health prevention programs and were enthusiastic to initiate and support these programs.

A scoping review exploring oral health inequalities in India: a call for action to reform policy, practice and research

INTRODUCTION

Reduction in health inequalities and providing universal access to health care have been identified as two important global milestones by the World Health Organization for countries to achieve by 2030. Therefore, recognizing the magnitude of oral health inequalities in India has become a pressing priority to improve access to dental care within the country. This scoping review was conducted with the aim of reviewing, collating and analysing the current knowledge base on oral health inequalities in India.

METHODOLOGY

The scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's approach, and reporting was performed in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search was conducted on Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE to identify literature addressing one or more dimensions of oral health inequalities in India, published in English between January 2002 and April 2022. The data were charted, and qualitative analysis was performed to derive themes, highlighting the key concepts emerging from this review.

RESULTS

In accordance with the eligibility criteria, a total of 71 articles retrieved through database search and backward citation search were included in this scoping review. The major themes ranged from individual to diverse sociodemographic factors acting as barriers to and facilitators of access to dental care. Deficiencies in human resources for oral health, along with a wide diversity in dental service provision and dental education were other major themes contributing to inequality. Subsequently, this has resulted in recommendations on restructuring the dental workforce and their development and modifications in oral health care policies and practices. The qualitative synthesis demonstrates the intertwined nature of the multiple factors that influence the goal of achieving an affordable, accessible, extensive and inclusive oral healthcare system in India.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive review provides a broad perspective on oral health inequalities in India, providing valuable insights for both researchers and policymakers in this area and guiding their efforts towards achieving universal oral health coverage in the Indian context.

Is there a sexual difference in the relationship between sociodemographic information and the unmet dental care needs of disabled adults? An analysis from a national survey on persons with disabilities

BACKGROUND

Health status and health care utilization in people with disabilities are more likely to be poorer than those without disabilities. Previous studies showed that there were gaps in health-related conditions by sociodemographic information and gender but the association between these factors was not explained. This study aims to analyze the relationship between sociodemographic information and the unmet dental care needs of people with disabilities and explore the effect of sex within this relationship.

METHODS

The 2014 national survey on persons with disabilities was used, which separated unmet healthcare needs into medical and dental services. Unweighted samples included 6,824 people with disabilities in total and 6,555 (96.1% of the total, weighted as 6,583) people aged 20 years or older were selected as the study population. Frequency and chi-square tests were conducted to determine differences in the prevalence of unmet dental needs based on socioeconomic information, chronic diseases, and behavioral factors after applying weights. Logistic regressions were performed using an adjusted model with sociodemographic information, chronic diseases, and behavioral variables. All analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA).

RESULTS

Analysis of the sociodemographic factors related to unmet dental care revealed that they were higher in women and the elderly. In the fully adjusted logistic model, most of the sociodemographic information was significantly associated with unmet dental needs. The lowest group was 4.18 times more likely to have unmet dental care needs than the richest group, and females and middle-school graduates were almost twice as likely to experience unmet dental care needs than males and university graduates. Considering the interaction effect of age on unmet dental needs depending on sex differences, the odds ratio decreased for females with every annual increase in both models. Compared with the younger group, the older group showed a lower risk of having unmet dental needs, especially in females.

CONCLUSIONS

The factor most closely related to the unmet dental care needs of disabled people was socioeconomic problems. Its influence also differed by sex and age. Therefore, economic support measures and sexual differences are needed for long-term policy consideration to reduce the unmet dental care needs of disabled people.

Secondary analysis of child hospital admission data for dental caries in London, UK: what the data tells us about oral health inequalities

OBJECTIVES

Dental caries is the most common reason for hospital admissions for children aged 6-10 years in England. The prevalence in the experience of hospital admission is not uniform across all populations. This paper reports on the analysis of secondary data on dental hospital episodes for children residing in London, and its association with oral health inequalities.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Retrospective, non-identifiable patient data sourced from the Hospital Episode Statistics dataset was analysed. Finished consultant episodes (FCEs) were extracted for children aged 1-19 years, residing in London and admitted with a primary diagnosis of caries between 2015/2016 and 2020/2021.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The number and rates of FCEs with a primary diagnosis of dental caries for children aged 1-19 years old was analysed for six consecutive financial years (2015/2016 to 2020/2021). To assess oral health inequalities in children experiencing hospital admission due to dental caries, several demographic variables were analysed: deprivation, age, and sex.

RESULTS

Between the financial years of 2015-2016 and 2020-2021, there were a total of 57 055 hospital admissions for dental caries for children aged 1-19 years (average rate of admission was 465.1 per 100 000 of children). A year-on-year decline was noted between 2015-2016 and 2020-2021. Regression analysis demonstrated clear social gradients with significant oral health inequalities; those from the most deprived areas experienced over two times the number of hospital admissions (58%). Children aged 4-9 years accounted for 68.9% (39 325) for the total dental hospital episodes from 2015-2016 to 2020-2021.

CONCLUSION

London's year-on-year reduction in hospital admission for dental caries is due to various factors including effective prevention interventions and an effective paediatric clinical care pathway. Sociodemographic factors remain to act as key predictors for hospital admission for child with dental caries. While health service level changes may reduce the number of hospital admissions, persistent child oral health inequalities continue to exist.

Influence of an oral health promotion program on the evolution of dental status in New Caledonia: A focus on health inequities

New Caledonia is a sui generis collectivity of overseas France situated in the south Pacific Ocean. Geographical and social inequalities are superimposed on ethnic disparities with high prevalence of chronic diseases such as oral diseases. In 2012, the health agency has evaluated the children's health status. Then, an oral health promotion program was developed in 2014. Another study was conducted in 2019 in New Caledonia to appreciate the evolution of children's oral health. A sample of 488 9-years-old children was randomly selected. Dental status was clinically recorded, families and children answered questionnaires about oral health determinants. The methodology (sampling, study variables…) was similar to the one used in the 2012 study. Multivariate mixed-models were conducted to compare 2012 and 2019 dental status and to explore the determinants of caries experience in 2019. Results indicated that caries prevalence and experience decreased between 2012 and 2019, with nonetheless various trends depending on the province or type of indexes. The number of carious lesions (d3t + D3T) in 2019 was used as an outcome variable in four models. Model 1 integrated social variables; ethnicity was found to be the only significant determinant. Model 2 was related to oral health care; participation in the program & and access to oral health care was found to be significant. For oral health behaviours (model 3), tooth brushing frequency and consumption of sugary snacks were significant risk factors. In a final model with significant variables from the previous models, ethnicity, accessibility of oral health care, number of sealed molars, consumption of sugary snacks remained explanatory factors. Five years after the implementation of the oral health promotion program, positive changes in oral health have been observed. However, health equity is still an issue with varying health status depending on ethnicity, behavioural factors and accessibility to oral health care.

Socioecological determinants of child oral health-A scoping review

OBJECTIVES

Child oral health is a result of interactions between multilevel influences within a complex system. Understanding those interactions informs conceptualizing a socioecological framework of important influences on oral health. This paper aimed to present a scoping review on the determinants of dental caries and their interactions in childhood and adolescence.

METHODS

The two review questions were as follows: Which factors are determinants of child dental caries? and, How do determinants interact within and across socioecological levels? The three main electronic databases for biomedical records, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched, followed by reference check. The search and screening/selection procedures followed an a priori strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria were specified in advance. The main components of the strategy were participants, concept and context. Following the final selection, eligible studies were assessed with quality appraisal tools for the risk of methodologic biases. Determinants reported in the included studies were then assigned to the micro-, meso-, exo- or macro-systems levels in a socioecological framework. Interactions between determinants were also identified and reported.

RESULTS

A total of 100 studies were included after removal of duplicates, screening on the title/abstracts and full-text assessment among 3313 records initially identified. A higher number of studies included were cross-sectional studies published in recent years. The majority of determinants found to influence child dental health were assigned to microsystem level within the framework. However, determinants were found at all levels and interactions were reported within and between socioecological levels. Determinants identified in the scoping review represent factors at different socioecological levels that influence child oral health.

CONCLUSION

Application of a socioecological model through a complex systems approach should lead to valid and robust progress towards practical solutions for better child oral health globally.

Evaluation of a digital oral health intervention (Know Your OQ™) to enhance knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral health

OBJECTIVE/AIM

Optimal oral health behaviours are crucial to avoid preventable dental diseases and maintain good oral health. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of a digital oral health intervention (Know Your OQ™) in changing knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral health.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Two studies were conducted with a total of 296 healthy adults. Demographic data as well as knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) related to oral health were collected before and after completion of the Know Your OQ™ intervention. The KAPs questionnaire included 19 multiple choice questions. Comprehension and feedback were also collected.

RESULTS

In total, 134 (45%) male and 162 (55%) female participants completed the two studies. Across both studies, 5 out of 7 knowledge questions and 2 out of 5 attitude questions showed significant changes pre/post-intervention with participants increasing their knowledge and improving their attitudes towards oral health. Only 1 practice changed in the first study, however, in the second study, 4 out of 7 practice questions showed significant changes pre/post-intervention. Comprehensibility was high across both studies with overall, positive feedback on the intervention.

CONCLUSION

A digital oral health intervention was successful in increasing knowledge, changing attitudes and self-reported practices with regards to oral health in a diverse sample of the US population.

Inequalities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians seen through the lens of oral health: time to change focus

Inequitable social environments can illustrate changes needed in the social structure to generate more equitable social relations and behaviour. In Australia, British colonization left an intergenerational legacy of racism against Aboriginal people, who are disadvantaged across various social indicators including oral health. Aboriginal Australian children have poorer health outcomes with twice the rate of dental caries as non-Aboriginal children. Our research suggests structural factors outside individual control, including access to and cost of dental services and discrimination from service providers, prevent many Aboriginal families from making optimum oral health decisions, including returning to services. Nader's concept of 'studying up' redirects the lens onto powerful institutions and governing bodies to account for their role in undermining good health outcomes, indicating changes needed in the social structure to improve equality. Policymakers and health providers can critically reflect on structural advantages accorded to whiteness in a colonized country, where power and privilege that often go unnoticed and unexamined by those who benefit incur disadvantages to Aboriginal Australians, as reflected in inequitable oral health outcomes. This approach disrupts the discourse placing Aboriginal people at the centre of the problem. Instead, refocusing the lens onto structural factors will show how those factors can compromise rather than improve health outcomes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.

Reconsidering economic interventions to reduce oral health inequalities

Despite the general recognition of economic factors as fundamental upstream social determinants of health inequalities, interventions to improve health and reduce inequalities tend to focus on proximal health determinants. However, recent socioeconomic crises have increased the focus on economic factors. Health-related approaches to address economic factors can be divided into two categories: (1) indirect approaches, such as financial support for obtaining dental care and fiscal policies targeting unhealthy commodities and (2) direct approaches, such as cash transfers or provision of a universal basic income. For indirect approaches, policies reducing out-of-pocket payments for dental care appear to improve access to services and reduce oral health inequalities. Price policies targeting tobacco and sugar through taxation are associated with declines in periodontal disease and caries, and sugar taxation appears to reduce oral health inequalities. As regards direct approaches, studies on cash transfers to low-income individuals have found no positive impact on dental visits, while results in relation to caries prevention were inconclusive. No dental studies examined the effect of a population approach to income security, such as basic income. Research on economic interventions for oral health inequalities is scarce, and studies using causal inference methods and natural experiments are urgently needed.

Correlates of poor oral health related quality of life in a cohort of people who use methamphetamine in Australia

OBJECTIVES

Methamphetamine use impacts oral health, but little is known about its impacts on oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL). In this study we examined OHRQoL in a cohort of people who use methamphetamine and assessed associations with sociodemographic, behavioural, psychosocial and dental service utilisation correlates. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between methamphetamine route of administration and OHRQoL, to test whether smoking the drug is associated with reduced OHRQoL.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis was performed, using data from VMAX, a cohort of people who use methamphetamine at least monthly in Victoria, Australia (n = 194). Utilising the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14), we assessed three OHRQoL outcomes: OHIP-14 prevalence, OHIP-14 extent and OHIP-14 severity. Regression analyses examined associations between independent variables and the three OHIP-14 outcome measures.

RESULTS

A significant segment of the cohort (35%) reported poor OHRQoL. Overall, no statistically significant association was detected between methamphetamine route of administration and the three OHIP-14 outcomes. Participants living in rural areas, with moderate-to-severe self-reported depression and with methamphetamine dependence had significantly worse OHRQoL levels, which persisted after adjusting for other covariates.

CONCLUSION

Overall, VMAX cohort participants reported reduced OHRQoL levels. Our findings highlight the need for upstream interventions to improve the OHRQoL of people who use methamphetamine, with specific focus on those living in rural locations. Further research on the links between OHRQoL and mental health among people who use methamphetamine is required.

A Systematic Review of Parents' Knowledge of Children's Oral Health

Young children's oral health is maintained mainly by adults' knowledge and attitude. This study evaluated parents' attitudes, actions, and knowledge regarding their children's dental health. We searched the electronic MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and PubMed databases. Additionally, each relevant article's and book's bibliography was thoroughly searched. Included were the phrases "Knowledge" [MeSH] ", Attitude" [MeSH] ", Parents" [MeSH] ", Children" [MeSH] "And Oral Health" [MeSH]. This review emphasizes the growing global interest in parents' contributions to children's dental health. It is necessary to raise awareness about the knowledge and significance of deciduous teeth, frequent dental appointments throughout society, and implement parental oral health education programs because parents need more awareness.

Oral health inequalities-Developments in research, policy and practice over the last 50 years

At times of major geopolitical conflict, macroeconomic crisis and the 'aftershocks' of the COVID-19 syndemic still having a global impact, it is the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society who undoubtedly suffer the most. During these turbulent and uncertain times, it is essential that sufficient policy attention is given to tackling the persistent and stark health inequalities that exist both between and within countries. This commentary aims to critically reflect on developments in oral health inequalities research, policy and practice over the last 50 years. Despite often challenging political contexts, progress has undoubtedly been made in our understanding of the nature and underlying social, economic and political causes of oral health inequalities. A developing body of global research has highlighted patterns of inequalities in oral health that exist across the lifecourse, but less progress has been made in implementing and evaluating policy interventions to tackle these unfair and unjust inequalities in oral health. At a global level through WHO leadership, oral health is at a 'tipping point' with a unique window of opportunity for policy change and development. Transformative policy and system reforms co-produced with community and other key stakeholders are now urgently needed to tackle oral health inequalities.

Relationship between the Social Development Index and Self-Reported Periodontal Conditions

Inequalities in oral health are influenced by the social strata of the population. Few studies have focused on the multitude of factors related to social development as indicators of living conditions and periodontal health status. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between self-reported periodontal conditions and the Social Development Index (SDI). A cross-sectional validated questionnaire was carried out among 1294 Mexican adults. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the best predictors of self-reported periodontal conditions. Bone loss reporting was used as a proxy for the presence of periodontal disease. We found that higher global scores on the SDI and quality and available space in the home (QASH) increase the probability of having bone loss. Global SDI (OR = 7.27) and higher QASH (OR = 3.66) were indeed the leading societal factors related to periodontal disease. These results have pointed out how SDI and its indicators, in particular QASH, can be used to further explore inequities related to privileged access to dental care in the context of periodontal diseases.

Clinicians' view on the management of oral health in Parkinson's disease patients: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

due to numerous motor and non-motor symptoms, dental treatment in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) can be challenging. Knowledge regarding optimal management of oral health in PD patients is lacking.

AIM

to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of dentists regarding oral health care for PD patients in the Netherlands.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

semi-structured interviews were conducted with (specialized) dentists working with PD patients. A thematic analysis was performed using a framework-based approach.

RESULTS

ten dentists were interviewed. They reported that dental care in PD patients requires 1) adaptation of timing and length of treatments and consultations, and 2) intensifying preventive measures. Dentists experienced the organization as bureaucratic and difficult. Moreover, differences between being institutionalized or living at home were present. Education and research are needed to improve PD patients' oral health. The experience level and affinity for treating PD patients positively influences confidence levels of the practitioner. Finally, points of improvement were suggested.

CONCLUSION

managing oral health in PD patients is challenging, and interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to overcome difficulties. Reducing the bureaucratic burden and improving knowledge could help and stimulate oral health care providers to treat PD patients more effectively and, consequently, improve their oral health.

The yawning gap: Waiting for cariology to germinate whilst periodontology is fruiting

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to investigate whether periodontology and cariology receive equal emphasis in dental education at two moments in time, thirteen years apart.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An online search was conducted in Nov 2021 of all the dental schools in ten English-language speaking countries (U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia) to identify departments/divisions in the disciplines of periodontology, cariology, and conservative/restorative/operative dentistry. The results were then compared against the findings of a similar investigation that was conducted from July to October 2008.

RESULTS

Of the 126 dental schools identified in 2021, information was available for 93 dental schools. Of these 93 schools, only 10 listed departments/divisions/disciplines of cariology, whereas 83 and 86 schools had listed periodontology and conservative/restorative/operative dentistry, respectively. Despite a doubling of the number of dental schools with a department/division/discipline of cariology from 2008 to 2021, the absolute gap in the number of departments/divisions/disciplines in the other two disciplines compared to cariology had widened during the thirteen years. In 2008, there were 70 more departments/divisions/disciplines in periodontology compared to cariology departments/divisions/disciplines. In 2021, there were 73 more departments/divisions/disciplines in periodontology. Additional information on research output was available for 90 dental schools in 2021, where 30 schools self-identified as undertaking cariology research, whereas 68 and 47 schools undertook research in periodontology and conservative/restorative/operative dentistry, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental education does not give equal emphasis to periodontology and cariology, and the discipline of cariology is grossly neglected.

Primary caregivers' perceptions of factors influencing preschool children's oral health: social practices perspective-a protocol for qualitative metasynthesis

INTRODUCTION

The role of primary caregivers in setting the foundation for a child's oral health throughout life is well recognised. Due to the dominant behaviour-based approach, research to date has mainly focused on exploring individual primary caregivers' oral health knowledge and behaviours. A social science approach involving social practice theories moves beyond individual attitudes, behaviour and choices to offer a better understanding of the ways in which collective activity relates to health. This qualitative metasynthesis will involve an interpretive synthesis of data found in published qualitative literature from developed countries. The aim of the metasynthesis is to identify social practices in families from published qualitative research with caregivers on preschool children's oral health.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a protocol for qualitative metasynthesis. The following databases will be used: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health and Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source (DOSS) using the web-based database search platform Ovid, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Scopus. The research team has determined search strategies by using relevant key terms. Qualitative studies published in English language on family factors related to preschool children (aged 0-5 years) from developed countries (2022 United Nations classification) will be included. Qualitative data analysis will involve thematic analysis of the reported factors influencing oral health of preschool children, from the perspective of social practice theory. Researchers will use NVivo software for organising and managing the data.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

No ethics approval is required, as this study does not involve human subjects. Findings will be disseminated through professional networks, conference presentations and submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

Psychosocial associated factors of early childhood caries and oral health-related quality of life: structural equation model approach

OBJECTIVE

To identify a structural model for the identification of psychosocial associated factors of early childhood caries (ECC) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in preschool children and their families.

METHODS

A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 533 preschool children from 4 to 6 years-old public and private preschools, from XXX, XXX. Parents/caregivers self-completed the Brazilian versions of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS) and Resilience Scale as well as a structured questionnaire addressing socioeconomic status and child's oral health behavior. Two dentists who had undergone training and calibration exercises for ICDAS-epi and pufa index (Kappa≥0.95) performed the examinations for ECC. Stages of ECC were classified as free of visible carious lesion, initial caries, moderate caries, extensive caries without pulp consequences and extensive caries with pulp consequences. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, using Mplus version 8.6.

RESULTS

Lower socioeconomic status (b=-0.250; p<0.001) and higher frequency of free sugar consumption (b=0.122; p=0.033) were directly associated with a more severe stage of ECC. Lower parental resilience had an indirect impact on more severe stage of ECC which was mediated by the variable 'frequency of free sugar consumption' (b=-0.089; p=0.048). ECC was associated with lower child's OHRQoL (b=0.587; p<0.001) and lower family's OHRQoL (b=0.506; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Structural modeling revealed that the severity of ECC negatively impacted the OHRQoL of preschoolers and their families. The main associated factors of the severity of ECC were lower socioeconomic status, higher frequency of free sugar consumption and lower parental resilience.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

T The findings indicate that psychosocial and behavior variables can be associated with the severity of ECC, and ECC can be associated with negative impact on wellbeing and ability to perform daily activities of preschoolers and their families.

Qualitative evaluation of the pre-implementation phase of a rural dental clinic co-located within a health center in the Pacific Northwest of the United States

OBJECTIVE

The development of a dental clinic within an existing Rural Health Clinic (RHC) was proposed to improve access to dental care for Medicaid enrollees in Washington. This qualitative study assessed the implementation of a co-located dental clinic in a rural community during the pre-implementation phase. Additionally, we sought to determine the needs and expectations of community members living in this rural Washington county.

METHODS

This study took place in Jefferson County, Washington, a Dental Health Professional Shortage Area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 participants, consisting of administrators (n = 9), health providers (n = 9) and community members (n = 24). Administrators and health providers were interviewed by phone. Community members were interviewed in-person at Jefferson Healthcare primary care clinics or by phone. Interview data were deductively coded, and thematic analysis with a hybrid inductive-deductive approach was used to analyse coded data.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified regarding local needs and expectations: dental care as a major need in the community, persisting barriers to dental care access, expecting more than a 'Medicaid experience', visions for a clinic that serves the community, and solutions outside the clinic to improve community oral health.

CONCLUSIONS

By improving access to dental care, a co-located dental clinic is helping to address general dental care needs in rural communities. Policy-level solutions that address housing and food insecurity, improve public transportation, and retain and expand low-income adult Medicaid dental benefits may be needed to overcome persisting barriers to oral health.

Social Justice Education in Dentistry: A Qualitative Analysis and Conceptual Framework

BACKGROUND

Social justice, empathy, and social responsibility are emerging themes in dentistry. Many dental faculties have started incorporating these concepts into their curriculum, but our knowledge of the effectiveness of these initiatives remains limited.

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to understand how students and educators perceive the role of social justice education, if any, in the undergraduate dentistry program.

METHODS

This qualitative study was performed by using semistructured interviews with students, professors, and clinical faculty at the Université de Montréal dental school from January to May 2020. Eighteen participants were recruited through purposeful sampling until saturation. The interviews were recorded and transcribed integrally. They were coded with QDA Miner 5.0 (Provalis). Thematic analysis was undertaken to elucidate emerging themes via qualitative methodology.

RESULTS

Five themes emerged from the results. Certain students were more inclined to be interested in social justice and participate in voluntary community-based activities. There were gaps in current teaching methods, including a lack of exposure to alternative treatment plans (e.g., extractions vs. endodontic treatments) better suited to patients' financial or social situations. Some barriers to teaching were identified, the most important being a lack of time. Desired teaching of social justice would include increased awareness and active student participation and taking responsibility to motivate action to produce social change. The application of social justice in dentistry involves care that is accessible and adapted to a patient's individual needs.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study provide valuable insight for the development of a social justice education curriculum in dentistry that can be evaluated and validated to train socially competent dentists who can provide patient-centered care to the community.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

The results of this study can be used by dental educators and administrators who are looking to incorporate social justice education into their dental school undergraduate curriculum. The findings serve as a starting point to foster discussions and inspire change to reduce inequalities within the dental health care system.

Barriers and facilitators to dental care among culturally and linguistically diverse carers: A mixed-methods systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities experience widespread inequalities in dental care utilization. While, several studies have reported factors contributing to such inequalities, a synthesis of evidence is lacking for CALD carers. This review examined the barriers and facilitators to dental care utilization among CALD carers.

METHODS

Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for dental utilization and related factors, without geographic limitations. An integrated mixed-method design was adopted, where both qualitative and quantitative findings were combined into a single synthesis. Critical appraisal was conducted using JBI tools, and a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework guided the synthesis approach. Reliability and researcher triangulation occurred throughout the conduct of this review.

RESULTS

A total of 20 papers were included: qualitative (n = 8), quantitative (n = 8) and mixed method (n = 4). Studies were from Australia, Canada, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and the United States. Three studies insufficiently reported confounding variables and nine qualitative papers lacked philosophical perspectives. Affordability was the foremost barrier at the system level, followed by psychosocial negative provider experiences and language/communication issues at the provider level. Cultural, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs were individual-family level factors. Utilizing a UHC framework, the barriers and facilitators were aggregated at three levels; financial-system, provider and individual-family levels and illustrated in the rainbow model of CALD oral health.

CONCLUSION

The review strengthens evidence for multilayered, system-related policies and culturally sensitive provision of services for reducing oral healthcare inequalities in CALD carers.

Sense of coherence moderates the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and oral health-related quality of life in schoolchildren

AIM

To evaluate the moderating effect of the sense of coherence (SOC) in the relationship between racial discrimination and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in schoolchildren.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort performed in southern Brazil. OHRQoL was assessed using the short version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14). The perception of racial discrimination was measured using a question contained in the Bullying Questionnaire by Olweus, and SOC through the shortened version of the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale. Sociodemographic and dental caries following the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) characteristics were also collected. A simple slop test and Poisson regression analysis were performed to test the interaction effects of the predictors on OHRQoL.

RESULTS

A total of 429 schoolchildren were included in this study. About 6.7% reported had perceived racial discrimination. The simple slope test indicated that the negative effects of racial discrimination on OHRQoL were significant under different SOC levels. Among schoolchildren who suffered racial discrimination, those who had higher SOC reported lower impact on OHRQoL when compared to those with low SOC.

CONCLUSION

SOC can be considered a moderating variable in the relationship between racial discrimination and OHRQoL.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

These findings highlight that psychosocial factors such as SOC could attenuate the impact of perceived discrimination on OHRQoL in adolescence.

Two decades of socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence of untreated dental caries in early childhood: Results from three birth cohorts in southern Brazil

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the socioeconomic disparities in untreated dental caries in early childhood according to socioeconomic characteristics in three birth cohorts in Southern Brazil.

METHODS

The socioeconomic data to this study were collected at the 48-month follow-up and oral health studies of 1993, 2004 and 2015 Pelotas birth cohort studies. The outcome was untreated dental caries in children aged 6 (1993 cohort), 5 (2004 cohort) and 4 years (2015 cohort), dichotomized into absence/presence. Analyses were stratified by maternal skin colour/race, maternal education and family income. For statistical purposes, the prevalence difference, relative risk and absolute and relative indices of health inequality (Slope Index of Inequality-SII and Concentration Index-CIX) were used.

RESULTS

The prevalence of untreated dental caries in primary dentition was 63.4%, 45.5% and 15.6%, in 1993, 2004 and 2015 cohorts, respectively. The prevalence of untreated dental caries was concentrated in the poorest quintile and lower maternal education group in both absolute (SII) and relative (CIX) measures of inequality, being characterized as a pro-poor event. A higher risk of untreated caries was found in the poorest quintile of family income compared with the richest quintile in the 1993 cohort (RR 1.44 [95% CI 1.05; 1.98]). That risk was higher considering the 2004 Cohort (RR 1.78 [95% CI 1.42; 2.23]) and 2015 cohort (RR 4.20 [95% CI 2.97; 5.94]) data.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the course of two decades, a higher prevalence of untreated dental caries is concentrated among the most socioeconomically deprived children.

The community proactive health management model based on the grounded theory: The case of Beijing, China

The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic has been a governance challenge for countries and cities worldwide. In China, the community-based joint prevention and control governance mechanism is one of the highlights of the "Chinese experience" in fighting the pandemic. As aging accelerates, communities can take on more functions in managing the health of their residents. Especially in the post-pandemic era, the actual needs of community residents in terms of health, medical care, and elderly care need to be addressed. This paper uses a questionnaire to understand the current situation of community health management in Beijing, followed by the selection of four typical communities for in-depth interviews, and uses the triple process of open coding, selective coding, and theoretical coding of the grounded theory to analyze residents' needs and willingness for proactive health management. More than 80 concepts, 41 categories, and 6 master categories were obtained from 204 initial statements. The "logical line" of the relationship between the main categories was constructed, and we developed a conceptual model of community-based proactive health management, consisting of six dimensions: (1) perception and willingness, (2) primary population, (3) health behavior paradigm, (4) management mechanism, (5) information technology applications, and (6) facilities and services. The study aims to contribute to the community-based health management in China and for the international community and provide strategies to improve community-based health management.

Rapid Oral Health Deterioration in Older People-A Narrative Review from a Socio-Economic Perspective

Poor oral health is a common morbidity in old age with older adults less likely to attend dental care and more likely to have dental disease; this situation is exacerbated by older adults retaining more teeth often with complex restorations. Evidence suggests that some older adults experience rapid oral health deterioration (ROHD). While more clinical and population level evidence is needed, current evidence suggests upstream changes addressing disadvantage through the social determinants of health (SDH) may impact broader disorders such as ROHD, often occurring as older adults become dependent. The aim of this paper is to conduct a narrative review to explore the social determinants of ROHD in older adults. The social determinants of health are important in understanding oral health including ROHD. This includes the important influence of the economic determinants. We explored the SDH as relevant to oral health and ROHD including using a framework based on that of the Fisher-Owens conceptual model (for children) but adapted for older adults. Better understanding of these relationships is likely to assist in future prevention and care.

Structural determinants explain caries differences among preschool children in Chile's Metropolitan Region

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the association between Social Determinants of Health (structural and intermediate) and caries indicators in Chile's Metropolitan Region preschool children.

METHODS

A multilevel cross-sectional study of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and caries in children aged 1 to 6 years in Chile's Metropolitan Region was conducted in 2014-2015, with three levels: district, school and child. Caries were assessed by the dmft-index and the prevalence of untreated caries. The structural determinants analyzed were Community Human Development Index (CHDI), urban/rural location, school type, caregiver's education and family income. Poisson multilevel regression models were fit.

RESULTS

The sample size was 2,275 children from 40 schools in 13 districts. While the highest CHDI district had an untreated caries prevalence of 17.1% (12.3-22.7%), in the most disadvantaged district it was 53.9% (95% CI 46.0-61.6%). As family income increased, the probability of untreated caries prevalence decreased (PR = 0.9 95% CI 0.8-1.0). Rural districts had an average dmft-index of 7.3 (95% CI 7.2-7.4), while in urban districts, it was 4.4 (95% CI 4.3-4.5). Higher probabilities of untreated caries prevalence (PR = 3.0 95% CI 2.3-3.9) were observed in rural children. Greater probabilities of untreated caries prevalence (PR = 1.3 95% CI 1.1-1.6) and prevalence of caries experience (PR = 1.3 95% CI 1.1-1.5) were observed in children whose caregivers had a secondary educational level.

CONCLUSIONS

A strong association was observed between the social determinants of health, specifically the structural ones, and the caries indicators studied in children of the Metropolitan Region of Chile. There were notable differences in caries between districts according to social advantage. Rurality and caregiver's education were the most consistent predictors.

Oral status and incident functional disability: a 9-year prospective cohort study from the JAGES

INTRODUCTION

The population-attributable risk of oral status for incident functional disability remains unknown. We investigated the impact of a range of oral statuses (number of remaining teeth, chewing difficulty, dry mouth, and choking) on incident functional disability.

METHODS

Participants (n = 44,083) aged ≥ 65 years from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study were evaluated. The outcome variable was incident functional disability, and the explanatory variables were four select oral statuses. The possible confounders were included as covariates. Using the Cox proportional hazards model, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and their population-attributable fractions (PAFs).

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 73.7 (standard deviation=6.0) years at baseline, and 53.2% were women. A total of 8,091 participants (18.4%) developed functional disabilities during the follow-up period. Among the four oral statuses, the incidence rate of functional disability was the highest in those with chewing difficulty (3.27/100 person-years), followed by those with dry mouth (3.20/100 person-years), choking (3.10/100 person-years), and ≤19 remaining teeth (2.89/100 person-years). After adjusting for all covariates, chewing difficulty showed the highest risk of functional disability (HR=1.22, 95%CI=1.16-1.28), followed by ≤19 remaining teeth (HR=1.18, 95%CI=1.12-1.25), dry mouth (HR=1.18, 95%CI=1.12-1.24), and choking (HR=1.10, 95%CI=1.04-1.17). Regarding PAF, ≤19 remaining teeth (12.0%) were the largest, followed by chewing difficulty (7.2%), dry mouth (4.6%), and choking (1.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Maintaining a good oral status may reduce the risk of functional disability later in life. Given its population contribution, tooth loss had the largest impact among the four oral conditions.

Do residential care and low social capital negatively influence oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older adults? A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To compare oral health status, OHRQoL and social capital between dependent older adults living in a residential care setting (RC) and community dwellers living independently (CD) and to assess the possible role of social capital and residential status as independent predictors of OHRQoL in a sample of older adults in the Udupi region of Karnataka, South India.

BACKGROUND

As the global population ages, a greater number of older adults are now living in residential care settings than ever before. This study provides insights into the role of residential care and social capital in influencing the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 296 older adults, comprising 148 dependent older adults living in residential care (RC) and 148 community dwelling older adults living independently (CD), completed the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and a Social Capital Scale after undergoing clinical oral examination for dentition and periodontal status.

RESULTS

The caries experience in both the residential care group (RC) and the community dwelling group (CD) was high with mean DMF scores of 21.6 (SD = 9.6) and 20.1 (SD = 10.7) respectively. The Mean Social Capital score was significantly higher (P = .01) among the RC group (33.2, SD = 5.1) than the CD group (31.5, SD = 5.7), whereas the mean GOHAI score was significantly higher (P = .02) among the CD (61.5, SD = 6.8) than the RC group (59.5, SD = 7.9). Linear regression showed lower DMFT scores (β: -0.26, P ˂ .001), being a community dweller (β: 0.14, P = .01) and having higher social capital (β: 0.11, P = .04) were associated with better OHRQoL (higher GOHAI scores) after adjusting for possible confounders.

CONCLUSION

Dependent older adults living in residential care had higher social capital but poorer OHRQoL. Caries experience, residential status and social capital were independently associated with OHRQoL.

Rigorous theory-based intervention research is the bold action needed to address oral health disparities and inequities

The Consensus Statement about behavioral and social sciences in oral health encourages future research to draw on testable theories that specify causal pathways that reflect the complex nature of oral health. In this commentary, we amplify the importance of explicit and well-specified theory in oral health intervention research, acknowledging that problematic use of theory has limited its utility in developing effective public health interventions. Also, we affirm the need to focus on determinants of oral health-and health inequities-most likely to drive meaningful change, and to understand the causal pathways that connect drivers of change from the individual to the global level. We view theory-based, causal mechanisms research as a powerful approach to building successful public health interventions, and suggest resources to inspire such research, including exemplary studies, methodologies, and collaborative initiatives that facilitate strong theory-based public health research.

Reflections on oral health inequalities: Theories, pathways and next steps for research priorities

Health inequalities, including those in oral health, are a critical problem of social injustice worldwide, while the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified previously existing inequalities and created new ones. This commentary offers a summary of the main frameworks used in the literature of oral health inequalities, reviews the evidence and discusses the potential role of different pathways/mechanisms to explain inequalities. Research in this area needs now to move from documenting oral health inequalities, towards explaining them, understanding the complex mechanisms underlying their production and reproduction and looking at interventions to tackle them. In particular, the importance of interdisciplinary theory-driven research, intersectionality frameworks and the use of the best available analytical methodologies including qualitative research is discussed. Further research on understanding the role of structural determinants on creating and shaping inequalities in oral health is needed, such as a focus on political economy analysis. The co-design of interventions to reduce oral health inequalities is an area of priority and can highlight the critical role of context and inform decision-making. The evaluation of such interventions needs to consider their public health impact and employ the wider range of methodological tools available rather than focus entirely on the traditional approach, based primarily on randomized controlled trials. Civil society engagement and various advocacy strategies are also necessary to make progress in the field.

Conceptualizing inequities and oppression in oral health research

Major sociohistorical processes have profound effects on oral health, with impacts experienced through structural oppression manifested in policies and practices across the lifespan. Structural oppression drives oral health inequities and impacts population-level oral health. In this global perspective paper, we challenge old assumptions about oral health inequities, address misleading conceptualizations in their description and operation and reframe oral health through the lens of intersecting systems of oppression. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for oral health researchers to explore causal pathways through which oppression harms oral health and engage in social science concepts to understand the root causes of oral health inequities fully. Finally, we call on policymakers, dental scholars and decision makers to consider health equity in all policies and to take a systems-oriented approach to effectively address oral health inequities.

From micro to macro: Structural determinants and oral health

The structural determinants of health include social, economic and political mechanisms which generate social stratification and the socioeconomic positions of individuals within society. Despite their importance, these 'causes of the causes' are still relatively under-studied within oral health research. Yet it is important to assess the effects of these 'upstream' determinants, given that most individuals cannot influence or change them. It is also important to move beyond focusing primarily on downstream determinants and approaches at the individual or household level. This review will offer a brief overview of what is currently known about structural determinants and upstream interventions in relation to oral health. The review starts by briefly summarizing oral health focused studies of structural determinants, including welfare regimes, governance and macroeconomic, social and public policies. Current knowledge on upstream interventions associated with oral health such as community water fluoridation, sugar sweetened beverage taxes and dental payment structures will also be covered. The article will then assess gaps in the research base, including current limitations and barriers-as well as opportunities-in analysing the effects of structural determinants and upstream interventions. The review finishes by suggesting next steps for better understanding and addressing these determinants and interventions-including considerations around theory, data and approaches from other fields such as systems science-with the hope that these can help make contributions to future policy decision making processes.

Oral status is associated with chewing difficulty in Thai older adults: data from a National Oral Health Survey

BACKGROUND

The number of older adults in Thailand is increasing. Better chewing ability is associated with healthy aging. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the relationship between social backgrounds, dental service utilization, oral status and chewing difficulty, there is no study in Thailand using national oral health data to identify the variables involved with chewing difficulty among Thai older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the association between oral status, and chewing difficulty, adjusting for social backgrounds, and dental service utilization among Thai older adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data from the eighth Thai National Oral Health Survey (TNOHS). A stratified multi-stage method was used for sample selection. The eighth TNOHS was conducted from June-August 2017. Data were collected using interviews and clinical oral examinations by trained interviewers and trained dentists, respectively. The bivariate analysis, chi-square test was used to explore the associations between social backgrounds, dental service utilization, oral status, and chewing difficulty. Dependent variables with p-values of < 0.2 for their association with independent variables in the bivariate analysis were entered into the multiple logistic regression models.

RESULTS

This study found that older adults with at least 27 teeth (p < 0.05), or at least eight occlusal pairs (p < 0.05) or income exceeding 15,000 baht per month (p < 0.05) were more likely to have less chewing difficulty (p < 0.001), while the elderly who utilized dental services in the past 12 months were associated with more chewing difficulty than those who did not utilize dental services in the past 12 months (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that policymakers increase the number of preventive plans and set a goal for more than 20 remaining natural teeth and four posterior occlusal pairs in young and working aged people, especially in the low income group.

Association between Social Participation and Remaining Teeth and Urban-Rural Difference among Older Adults in China

Oral health is an important part of older adults' general health. The study examined the association between social participation (formal and informal) and remaining teeth and the urban-rural difference based on a national survey of older adults in China. The data of older adults were extracted from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and analyzed. A total of 11,948 respondents were ultimately involved, including 6836 urban respondents and 5112 rural respondents. Informal social participation and formal social participation were used to assess social participation. The number of remaining natural teeth was measured. Social participation was significantly associated with remaining teeth among older adults, after adjusting for confounders, a one-level increase in the informal social participation was associated with a decrease in natural teeth by 0.152 (95% CI = -0.274; -0.030) and a one-level increase in the formal social participation was associated with a decrease in natural teeth by 0.370 (95% CI = -0.585; -0.156). In addition, the association between social participation (formal and informal) and remaining teeth was observed among urban older adults, but not rural older adults. A high level of social participation may effectively decrease the risk of oral-health problems for the Chinese older adults. The findings suggest recommendations for an older adults-targeted policy and the practice of oral-health promotion. However, the urban-rural difference should be taken into full consideration in social-participation-driven oral-health promotion interventions.

Complex effects of racism and discrimination on African Americans' health and well-being: Navigating the status quo

Most research on the effects of racism and discrimination on the health and well-being of African Americans utilize a deficit perspective, one that homogeneously paints African Americans as disadvantaged victims. Such approaches do little to highlight the variability in the effects of racism and discrimination on relevant outcomes, and the resources that African Americans have drawn upon to navigate an environment characterized by varying levels of racialized hostility. The goal of this special issue is to inspire more refined conceptualizations of how African Americans navigate an often-hostile status quo in service of their health and well-being. The articles in this special issue examine within-race heterogeneity in African Americans' responses to varying manifestations of racism and discrimination, as well as subsequent heterogeneity in the effects of racism and discrimination on African Americans' health and well-being at the individual level. The commentaries and articles address the goals of this special issue in three broad categories of health outcomes: biological/physiological, mind and brain, and health behavior. These contributions demonstrate several critical themes that can guide future work to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity in the effects of racism and discrimination on health and well-being among African Americans.

The influence of patient race on the outcome of endodontic treatments: a pooled analysis of one-year recall data from four cone beam computed tomography outcome studies

Objectives The aim of this pooled data analysis was to establish if there is an association between a patient's race and the proportion of successful outcomes of endodontic treatments, and if so, what factors may determine this association.Methodology Data collected from four prospective clinical outcome studies were pooled. Patients were recalled 12 months after the completion of the treatment. Treatment outcome was determined by clinical findings and cone beam computed tomography examination. Statistical analysis included the description of categorical and continuous variables and simple binary logistic regression models, chi-squared tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests.Results Data from 301 patients were available. Of these patients, 43 were Black (14.3%), 50 were from a Non-Black Minority Ethnic (NBME) group (16.6%) and 208 were white (69.1%). The risk of an unfavourable outcome was higher in teeth with short root canal fillings (OR = 3.36; p = 0.002), when a preoperative radiolucency was present (OR = 2.59; p = 0.019) and when an intra-operative root canal perforation was detected (OR = 5.25; p = 0.016).Multiple regression models showed that Black (OR = 2.28; p = 0.05) and NBME patients (OR = 3.07; p = 0.008) had a higher risk of an unfavourable result compared to white patients.Conclusions Black and NBME patients had a significantly higher failure rate of root canal treatments compared to white patients. All other known pre-, intra- and post-operative risk factors for root canal treatment failure were present in similar proportions in BME and white patients.

The impact of sugar-sweetened beverages tax on oral health-related outcomes: a systematic review of the current evidence

Objective To provide a systematic overview of the impact of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on oral health-related outcomes.Data sources For this PRISMA-compliant review, we searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Central for relevant studies published from database inception to 27 August 2020.Data selection and extraction Two reviewers assessed the abstracts and then the full text of the studies. Primary studies that evaluated the impact of any kind of SSB tax on oral health-related outcomes (that is, decayed, missing and filled teeth, caries increment and dental treatment costs) were included.Data synthesis Of 503 search results, five studies met the inclusion criteria. All five were modelling studies, from which four studies predicted an SSB tax to have a positive impact on oral health-related outcomes, whereas one study in a developing country did not find an SSB tax to be solely successful. According to three studies, the younger population and men are likely to benefit the most from such a tax. One study demonstrated the benefits of an SSB tax to be potentially more significant among low-income individuals.Conclusion While no empirical studies are available to support the benefits of an SSB tax, the studies covered in this review altogether anticipate a positive impact. Furthermore, this review discusses some of the obstacles and limitations of implementing such a tax predicted by the included studies.

Social capital and oral health promotion: Past, present, and future challenges

Social capital has been widely inserted in health discussions in recent decades. In this sense, social capital has become a popular term and has been highlighted as one of the main determinants of health in the conceptual framework of the social determinants of the World Health Organization. The concept of social capital focuses on the positive consequences of sociability and places these consequences in the broader discussion of capital. In this sense, social capital reflects the benefits that individuals and communities derive from having broad social networks or high levels of social trust. Despite controversies regarding its definition and numerous criticisms, a growing body of evidence suggests that high levels of social capital benefit oral health. This factor has also been recognized as a potential softener of the impact of oral conditions on oral health, through behavioural and psychosocial processes. Thus, efforts to reduce inequities in oral health preferably should be based on their origins and on their complex causal process, such as the social determinants. The future challenges in the area are specially related to the development of interventions and health promotion actions that aim to stimulate social capital, aiming to reduce the impact of social inequalities on oral health throughout the life course.

Professionals’ perspectives on how to address persistent oral health inequality among young children: an exploratory multi-stakeholder analysis in a disadvantaged neighbourhood of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Background

Oral health promotion interventions have had limited success in reaching families in disadvantaged neighbourhoods resulting in persistent oral health inequality. This qualitative study provides insight into professionals’ perspectives on children’s poor oral health (≤ 4 years), their perceptions of the roles and responsibilities, and opportunities for child oral health promotion strategies.

Methods

Thirty-Eight professionals from different domains (community, social welfare, general health, dental care, public health, private sector) working in a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, participated through 24 semi-structured (group) interviews. Transcripts and notes were analysed through thematic analysis.

Results

Professionals indicate that unhealthy diet, children’s non-compliance, poor parental coping, parental low oral health literacy, parent’s negative attitude, family’s daily struggles, and insufficient emphasis on childhood caries prevention in dental practices, general healthcare and social welfare organisations, underlie poor oral health. They hold parents most responsible for improving young children’s oral health, but recognise that families’ vulnerable living circumstances and lack of social support are important barriers. Interestingly, non-dental professionals acknowledge their beneficial role in child oral health promotion, and dental professionals stress the need for more collaboration.

Conclusion

A broad child-, parental-, and societal-centred educational communication strategy is perceived as promising. Professionals working within and outside the dental sector acknowledge that local and collective action is needed. This involves a better understanding of family’s complex daily reality. Furthermore, intensifying child oral health knowledge in dental practices is essential in collaboration with families, general health and social welfare organisations.