Oral Health Literacy

Oral health literacy (OHL) extends beyond the availability of certain personal characteristics (knowledge, skills, and confidence) to obtain, understand, and use basic oral health information and services to make appropriate oral health decisions to promote and maintain good oral health (WHO, 1998; Healthy People 2010, 2007). OHL also involves management of one's oral health and the ability to take action to change the determinants of oral health in the environment. OHL is critical to empowering people's ability to promote and improve their oral health, and to strengthen community action, contributing to achievement of goals of Ottawa Charter (1986) and Ferney Declaration on Global Oral Health Development (2003). Reducing the disparities in oral health by improving OHL, a goal of Healthy People 2010, is proposed for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and for overall global oral health development, by PAHO (2006). In order to promote sustainable OHL improvements, specific actions need to be taken at three levels: “downstream”, “intermediate”, and “upstream”. “Downstream” includes individual-level approaches (improvement of communication between dentists, dental team members, and patients, enhancement of the usability of oral health information, education, and forms). Intermediate approach is directed towards individuals and social groups (contemporary school health education programs directed towards personal and social skill developments and behavioural outcomes), whereas “upstream” approach is community-oriented (health education directed towards improving community capacity to act on social and economic determinants of oral health by media, social and political actions). Improving OHL at all levels require cultural competence and effective communication skills of health care professionals, educators, and other OHL providers to understand the values, beliefs, traditions, and customs of each other and diverse patient groups. Improved OHL does not necessarily always result in positive health behaviour due to factors such as personal beliefs and social group norms, which are cultivated in cultural milieus. Research evidence is needed to assess OHL and its impact on oral health outcomes in different cultural settings among diverse patient groups and to improve oral health provider-patient communication patterns.