Psychosocial dentistry

(By Dr. Joseph D. Lim and Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI)

ORAL HEALTH clearly belongs with general health.

Oral health has been linked with other diseases, the social determinants of health and the socio-biological interactions of the oral diseases. Indeed, it has been linked to the realms of   psychosocial dentistry.

Merriam-Webster defines psychosocial as the “interaction between social and psychological factors… the intersection and influence of social, cultural, and environmental factors on the mind and behavior.”

Nowadays, the mouth is not integrated within general health, “much less one in which it takes the importance it deserves,” says Dr. Antonia Barranca-Enríquez of the Center for Health Studies and Services, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico.

She and Dr. Tania Romo-González of Área de Biología y Salud Integral, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico, have looked at the separation of oral considerations from the rest of general health and from basic science to health care delivery.

They believe it has led to the lack of policies that can reach communities to achieve real advances in health. Consequently, oral health and general health systems are ineffective, fragmented and costly, they write in PubMed Central.

“This separation has also led to the general perception that oral health is somehow less important to general health and well-being and is therefore not given priority in professional training in the health sciences and in dentistry, public policy, or health care delivery,” they say.

Given the importance of oral health for the body and the high prevalence of oral diseases, it is necessary to provide evidence that supports the need to integrate oral health care within health care, Drs. Barranca-Enríquez and Romo-González say.

The two have reviewed the databases MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar to look at the relationship of oral health with general health. They find that oral health is critical, as the teeth and mouth are not only an integral part of the body, but also support and enable essential human functions.

“That is, oral health has a multidimensional nature, as it includes the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains that are essential for overall health and well-being,” Drs. Barranca-Enríquez and Romo-González explain.

Likewise, they point out, the mouth is the psychological seat of the first physiological needs and emotional gratifications. “With it we take a taste of the world around us.”

Based on their study results, Dr. Barranca-Enríquez and Tania Romo-González propose that the mouth is the first step for well-being which could be used in the clinical practice for the promotion of oral care and general health.

“The effort on the part of oral health professionals is essential for people’s well-being and must be integrated as part of health promotion,” they say.

“Dental treatments alone cannot solve this problem, it requires a comprehensive approach in which the bio-psychological, behavioral, and socio-environmental determinants are included to face this global oral health challenge.”

Without a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to medical science that includes dental and oral health, public policies cannot provide the best answers to health promotion, disease prevention, early detection and treatment, Dr. Barranca-Enríquez and Tania Romo-González says.

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Dr. Joseph D. Lim, Ed. D., is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists;  Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology; and Founding Chairman of the Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.

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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines, College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate Professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; and Fellow, Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com/PN