The Big Picture

Oral health promotion messages

Background

Major oral health care inequalities exist, with socially disadvantaged and lower socioeconomic groups experiencing most of the burden of oral disease and wealthy sectors enjoying excellent health. The differences are especially noticeable among the children in each group. Oral health promotion (OHP) has included efforts to change knowledge levels, attitudes, intentions, beliefs, behaviors, use of services, and oral health status, but the efforts have not always been well-focused. Increasingly

Methods

The systematic search included 20 online resources, a call for evidence, and a search of the citation lists of relevant systematic reviews. Forty-four studies were identified in 52 articles. Fifteen were randomized clinical trials (RCTs), 2 were cluster RCTs, 1 was a controlled trial, 5 were quasi-experimental studies, 2 were before-and-after studies with no control group, 3 were surveys, 11 were qualitative studies, 3 were mixed methods studies, 1 was an audit, and 1 was a pilot study.

Results

The mode of delivery has a significant role in the effectiveness of OHP efforts. Both oral hygiene and gingival/periodontal health could be improved if behavioral and psychological theoretical models are used for OHP. These cognitive behavioral approaches were linked to significantly better oral health−related behaviors.

Verbal oral health promotion by dental professionals positively influenced patient knowledge, behavior, and gingival health, but the effect is not sufficient to alter caries

Barriers and Facilitators

Various barriers were identified that inhibit OHP message effectiveness. Among these barriers are the dentist’s experiences and prejudices, the sender’s lack of belief in the credibility and effectiveness of OHP, the sender’s ability to understand the message of the receiver, and any pejorative views held by the sender toward the receiver. Lack of knowledge, staff, time, and physical space can also impede OHP message reception.

The factor that most facilitates OHP message reception is the