Oral health education: a call for couple centred intervention

Abstract

Dear editor,

Oral health has a direct influence on systemic health. It is a well-known fact that oral health and systemic health have a bidirectional relationship, with each affecting the other. Poor oral hygiene can lead to numerous  health problems, such as  cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, and Alzheimer’s among others.(1) That is why educating the masses about preventive oral care and hygiene practices is indispensable.

A study published in 2016 in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology suggests that spouses influence each other's oral hygiene practices and attitudes; meaning that a husband’s oral health practices affect his wife’s, and vice versa (2). This study strongly suggests that oral health behaviours are often shaped within the household and influenced by close relationships.

Typically, oral health education programs are designed to target people as individuals. However, this study strongly suggests that such efforts may be more fruitful and effective if they focus on the couples, educate them as a single unit rather individually. This approach can lead to a more sustained behavioural change. Therefore, I advocate for a shift in the design of oral health education programs and strategies- one that incorporates family or spousal dynamics into program planning. A couple-based strategy is likely to be more effective in improving the oral health of the community.