Sugar in Mid-twentieth-century Australia: A Bittersweet Tale of Behaviour, Economics, Politics and Dental Health

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
H. F. Akers ◽  
M. A. Foley ◽  
P. J. Ford ◽  
L. P. Ryan
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Sugar Industry ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Regional Identity ◽  
Health Campaigns ◽  
Major Health Problem

History is replete with debates between health professionals with concerns about practices and products and others who either challenge scientific evidence or believe that the greatest public good is achieved through maintenance of the status quo. This paper provides a 1950s socio-scientific perspective on a recurring problem for health professionals. It analyses dentists' promotion of oral health by discouraging sugar consumption and the sugar industry's defence of its staple product. Despite scientific evidence in support of its case, the dental profession lacked influence with government and large sections of the Australian community. The division of powers within the Australian Constitution, together with the cause, nature and ubiquity of caries and Australians' tolerance of the disease, were relevant to the outcome. In contrast, the sugar industry was a powerful force. Sugar was a pillar of the Australian and Queensland economies. The industry contributed to the history of Queensland and to Queenslanders' collective psyche, and enjoyed access to centralized authority in decision-making. The timing of the debate was also relevant. Under Prime Minister Robert Menzies, the Australian Government was more concerned with promoting industry and initiative than oral health. This was a one-sided contest. Patterns of food consumption evolve from interactions between availability, culture and choice. Food and associated etiquettes provide far more than health, nutrients and enjoyment. They contribute to economic and social development, national and regional identity and the incidence of disease. The growing, milling and processing of sugarcane and the incorporation of sugar into the Australian diet is a case study that illuminates the interface between health professionals, corporations, society and the state. Today, for a variety of reasons, health professionals recommend limits for daily intake of sugar. Calls for dietary reform are not new and invariably arouse opposition. The issue came to the fore between 1945 and 1960, when dentists contended that the consumption of sugar either caused or contributed to a major health problem, namely dental caries (tooth decay). Representatives of the sugar industry defended their staple product against these claims, which emerged at a critical time for the industry. With hindsight, these exchanges can be seen as a precursor to more diverse and recurring debates relating to contemporary health campaigns. This paper documents and analyses the contemporaneous scientific and socio-political backgrounds underpinning these engagements

Early childhood caries prevention: non-dental health professionals' viewpoint

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (15) ◽  
pp. 884-890
Author(s):  
Javotte Nancy ◽  
Terence Barsby ◽  
Marie Theillaud ◽  
Christelle Barbey-Massin ◽  
Noëlie-B Thébaud
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Bottle Feeding ◽  
Sugar Intake ◽  
Interprofessional Training ◽  
Dental Practitioners ◽  
Childhood Caries

Background: Dental caries can develop early in life and have harmful consequences. Objective: To examine non-dental practitioners' knowledge of early childhood caries (ECC). Methods: A questionnaire on oral health and caries knowledge was emailed to five types of health professional who work with young children: paediatricians, GPs, midwives, paediatric nurses and paediatric healthcare assistants. Questions concerned: when a child should first visit a dentist; at what age toothbrushing should start; aetiopathogenic factors; early diagnosis; and the effect of breastfeeding. Results: 494 health professionals (79 paediatricians, 59 physicians, 217 midwives, 92 paediatric nurses and 47 paediatric healthcare assistants) participated. Although most (89.86%) discussed oral health with parents, responses on when a child should first see a dentist and when toothbrushing should start varied. Almost half of respondents said they could diagnose caries but not all were confident in this. Aetiological factors in ECC mentioned included oral hygiene, bottle feeding, sugar intake, genetics and a lack of fluoride. Conclusion: Non-dental practitioners lack knowledge about ECC, so cannot help prevent it. Initiatives including interprofessional training would improve their knowledge of oral health in early childhood.

scholarly journals Knowledge and Opinions Regarding the Interface between Oral and Overall Health among California Physicians, Dentists, Pharmacists and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioners

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gavaza ◽  
Wonha Kim ◽  
Thomas Rogers ◽  
Eileen Fry-Bowers ◽  
Rashid Mosavin
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Registered Nurses ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Advanced Practice ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Total N ◽  
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

Background and Purpose: Oral health is often related to other medical conditions. This study investigated the knowledge and opinions of California physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) regarding the interface between oral and overall health and their suggestions for strengthening this interface. Methods: A survey packet was mailed to randomly-selected California healthcare providers in Winter 2015. Twenty five-point Likert-type questions were used to measure the providers’ knowledge and opinions of the oral and overall health interface. Results: Sixtytwo physicians, 117 dentists, 136 pharmacists, and 289 Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) responded (total N= 604). A majority of all health professionals agreed/strongly agreed that oral health topics received little attention in the education of non-dental health professionals (n=499, 82.6%), and that the dental discipline remains relatively segregated from other healthcare disciplines (n=500, 82.8%). Dentists and APRNs were more likely to agree/agree strongly that the inadvertent prescribing of medications that can have xerostomic effects without considering their oral health implications is a major problem. Conclusion: There is a need for more inter-professional collaboration by all primary care providers in managing the patients’ oral and overall health, as well as more oral health education and training for all non-dental health professionals.

scholarly journals Investigating Nutritional Behavior and Oral Health Habits among Adults and Children in Nοrth-Eastern Greece

Oral ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-74
Author(s):  
Alexandra Melissari ◽  
Athanasios Alexopoulos ◽  
Ioanna Mantzourani ◽  
Stavros Plessas ◽  
Chrissoula Voidarou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Oral Disease ◽  
Oral Microbiota ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Balanced Diet ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Main Meal

The importance of the oral microbiota is strictly linked to global human health. When imbalance of the oral microbiota occurs, and it is characterized by shifts in bacterial composition and diversity; a state called dysbiosis is settled. There is an increasing amount of scientific evidence that this condition is associated with oral diseases caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. Diet seems to be a key factor for oral and dental health, impacting upon the oral microbiota. In an attempt to clarify the role of diet, as well as other implicating risk factors predisposing to oral disease, in the present study we enrolled an urban area of north-eastern Greece. Socio-demographical as well as hygienic and nutritional habits of a target group consisting of adult and children were entered in our study through a survey. People of the studied area are less interested in preventive and other dental therapies. Children and adults are less interested in healthy eating, yet they often consume sugary foods and often outside of their main meal. The partial shifting to the standard of the Mediterranean diet and less to the standard of the western type foods is notable. It is important to raise the awareness of both children and adults through strategical campaigns and education on oral health, oral hygiene and the benefits of a balanced diet.

Oral health diseases among the older people: a general health perspective

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
General Health ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The relationship between oral health and general health is gaining interest in geriatric research; however, a lack of studies dealing with this issue from a general perspective makes it somewhat inaccessible to non-clinical public health professionals. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to describe the relationship between oral health and general health of the elderly on the basis of literature review, and to give non-clinical medical professionals and public health professionals an overview of this discipline. Methods: This study was based on an in-depth review of the literature pertaining to the relationship between oral health and general health among the older people. The tools commonly used to evaluate dental health and the academic researches of male elderly people were also reviewed. And future research directions were summarized. Results: Dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, and xerostomia are common oral diseases among the older people. Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the leading causes of missing teeth and edentulism. Xerostomia, similar to dry mouth, is another common oral health disease in the older people. No clear correlation exists between the subjective feeling of dryness and an objective decrease of saliva. Rather, both conditions can be explained by changes in saliva. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) are the main assessment tools used to examine oral health and quality of life in the older people. The GOHAI tends to be more sensitive to objective values pertaining to oral function. In addition, oral health studies in male elderly people are population-based cohort or cross-sectional studies, involving masticatory function, oral prevention, frailty problems, cardiovascular disease risk, and cognitive status. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce the incidence of certain oral diseases, even among individuals who take oral health care seriously. Oral health care should be based on the viewpoint of comprehensive treatment, including adequate nutrition, good life and psychology, and correct oral health care methods. In the future, researchers could combine the results of meta-analysis with the clinical experience of doctors to provide a more in-depth and broader discussion on oral health research topics concerning the older people.

scholarly journals Oral Health Attitudes and Behavior among a Group of Turkish Dental Students

2009 ◽  
Vol 03 (01) ◽  
pp. 24-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilkay Peker ◽  
Meryem Toraman Alkurt
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Health Attitudes ◽  
Dental Health Care ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Mouth Wash ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Better Than

ABSTRACTObjectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate self-reported oral health attitude and behavior among a group of Turkish dental students and to compare differences in oral health attitudes between years of study and gender.Methods: This study included 267 (153 female, 114 male) dental students. A modified English version of Hiroshima University Dental-Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) which consists of twenty-eight dichotomous responses (yes-no) was used.Results: Totally 141 preclinical (1, 2 and 3rd years of study) and 126 clinical students (4 and 5th years of study) who were mean age of 21.16 participated in the study. Statistically significant differences were found between years of study for brushing each of teeth carefully, cleaning the teeth well without using toothpaste, using a toothbrush which has hard bristles and for having had their dentist tell that they brush very well. There were statistically significant differences between females and males for using a toothbrush which has hard bristles and using tooth floss regularly. Statistically significant differences were found for brushing each of the teeth carefully and using mouth wash on regular basis between smokers and non-smokers.Conclusions: This study confirmed that oral and dental health behavior and attitudes and also their knowledge about oral and dental health care of dental students improved with increasing level of education while oral and dental health care of female students were better than males and oral and dental health care of non-smokers were better than smokers. (Eur J Dent 2009;3:24-31)

scholarly journals Oral health promotion practices of Australian community mental health professionals: a cross sectional web-based survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roisin McGrath ◽  
Rodrigo Marino ◽  
Julie Satur
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Oral Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Health Consumers ◽  
Australian Community ◽  
Health Support

Abstract Background This study explored the oral health promotion practices of Australian community mental health professionals working with people living with severe mental illness (SMI). Methods An anonymous cross-sectional web-based survey was distributed to all Community Rehabilitation and Support Workers (CRSWs) working at Neami National (n = 471), an Australian community mental health service. The validated questionnaire assessed participants’ self-rated oral health knowledge and confidence (7 questions); their perceived barriers (9 questions) and attitudes (5 questions) to oral health promotion; and their oral health promotion practices (7 questions). Differences in responses between groups were analysed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Mann–Whitney U tests. Logistic Regression Analysis served to explore the probability of providing oral health support to mental health consumers. Results A total of 141 CRSWs were included in this study, achieving a response rate of 30 percent. Roughly two-fifths (39.0%) of participants had oral health training in the previous 12-months. The majority of CRSWs (89.3%) believed (‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly agreed’) that mental health support workers have a role to play in promoting oral health. However, less than half (44.0%) of CRSWs practiced oral health promotion activities when working with mental health consumers. When asked about barriers to promoting oral health, ‘lack of consumer interest’ was the most prevalent issue. CRSWs who had oral health training were over three-times (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.25–9.83, p = 0.017) more likely to provide oral health support. Results showed the provision of oral health support was most strongly associated with self-rated knowledge and confidence (OR 4.089, 95% CI 1.629–10.263, p = 0.003) and attitudes to oral health promotion (OR 3.906, 95% CI 1.77–8.65, p = 0.001). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that mental health support workers who have more positive attitudes to oral health promotion and who have higher self-rated oral health knowledge and confidence are more likely to provide oral health support in their professional role. Training for community mental health professionals is essential to build confidence and skills to promote oral health for mental health consumers.

scholarly journals Trends and developments in oral health literacy: a scientometric research study (1991–2020)

BDJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Sun ◽  
Chunying Li ◽  
Yan Zhao ◽  
Jing Sun
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Oral Health Literacy ◽  
Knowledge Questionnaire ◽  
Bibliographic Records ◽  
Burst Intensity ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Burst Analysis ◽  
Number Of Publications

Abstract Objective This study aimed to establish the current situation, intellectual base, hotspots, development trends, and frontiers of oral health literacy (OHL) from the literature. Methods We analyzed 1505 bibliographic records dated between January 1990 and December 2020 retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and the Scopus database. We used CiteSpace for word frequency analysis, co-occurrence analysis, co-citation analysis, clustering analysis, and burst analysis. Results The total number of publications increased year-on-year, with the majority of publications coming from the USA. Most studies focused on the relationship between (oral) health literacy and oral health, and the development of OHL instruments. The top 10 keywords by frequency were “health literacy”, “oral health”, “attitude to health”, “dental caries”, “adult”, “children”, “dental care”, “knowledge”, “questionnaire”, and “adolescent”. The keyword with the highest burst intensity was “dental health education”. Conclusions OHL research is a thriving field. The field is focused on the development of an OHL instrument and health promotion practice. Strategic cooperation among countries, institutions, authors, hospitals, and communities will be important to encourage further OHL research and address oral health problems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document