contemporary medicine

oral health and strategy

       Dental public health is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts. It is that form of dental practice which serves the community as a patient rather than the individual. It is concerned with the dental health education of the public, with applied dental research, and with the administration of group dental care programs as well as the prevention and control of dental diseases on a community basis.(ADA,1976)

       Oral  cavity disease is   noncommunicable chronic disease, which  early merged  to dominate in lower-middle and upper income countries, are becoming increasingly prevalent in many of the poorest developing countries. Oral health is part of total health and essential to quality of life.Oral health systems reorientation towards prevention and health promotion is recommended in the Ottawa Charter, the primary health care concept and the Jakarta Declaration on leading Health Promotion into the 21st Century.      In addition, global goals for oral health by the year 2020 are specified for development of quality of oral health system,therefore; gives priority to integration of oral health with general health programmes at community or national levels.The strategy for oral health by the year 2020 proposed  to  apply evidence-based   in oral health promotion, prevention and treatment of oral diseases worldwide, health systems research and development. 

       Consequently,oral  health promotion  should play dominant role in  establishing  oral health policies  towards effective control  of   risks to oral health, based on the common risk factors approach.Essentially integrated  with general health promotion. The focus is on modifiable risk behaviours related to diet, nutrition, use of tobacco and excessive consumption of alcohol, and hygiene.