Dental public health

Dental public health is a non-clinical speciality of Dentistry.

Dental public health is involved in the assessment of dental health needs and improving the dental health of populations rather than individuals.

There are a few training opportunities to obtain an MSc in Dental public health.

One of the controversial subjects relating to dental public health is Fluoridation of drinking water. Another media blow-up has been associated with the commercial mouthwashes, of which an oral cancer is blamed for the fruit of the consumption.

Academic resources

• Journal of Public Health Dentistry

There seems to be a lot more that can be done to help individuals prevent tooth decay based on what is already known.

Even with fluoridation and oral hygiene, tooth decay is still the most common food related disease affecting all families, having the economic impact of heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

However decay is easy to prevent with a national project like Supertooth.org to reduce acid demineralisation from food left on teeth, neutralise acid and remineralise demineralised tooth after eating, or at least twice a day chewing a special form of toothpaste before or after brushing.

All cavities occur from acid demineralisation of teeth where chewing leaves food trapped on teeth. Though more than 95% of trapped food is left packed between teeth after every meal or snack, over 80% of cavities develop inside pits and fissures in grooves on chewing surfaces where the brush and fluoride toothpaste cannot reach.

Fissure sealants painted over chewing surfaces blocks food being trapped inside pits and fissures and changed to acid helping prevent acid demineralisation and tooth decay about as much as fluoridation where over 80% of cavities occur.

Chewing fibre like celery after eating helps force saliva inside pits and fissures and between teeth to dilute carbohydrate like sugar in trapped food, neutralise acid and remineralise tooth better than chewing gum that cannot absorb or expel saliva.

Chewing toothpaste before or after brushing would help fluoride remineralise susceptible tooth surfaces between teeth and inside pits and fissures where brushing cannot reach.

We already know how to prevent tooth decay but need to make it simple, convenient and easy.