Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu
ePooki 49/2019

Oral Health Promotion

28.6.2019 ::

Metatiedot

Nimeke: Oral Health Promotion

Tekijä: Jussila Aino-Liisa; Oinonen Meeri (toim.)

Aihe, asiasanat: hampaidenhoito, terveyden edistäminen, dental care, health promotion

Tiivistelmä: Nowadays health promotion plays an important role in health care ideology and implementation. It's vital to commit individuals to take an action with their decisions that may concern or have impact on health and wellbeing. This general awareness has also positive impacts on young people's wellbeing.

Dental hygiene students' ability in oral health promotion was practiced in this course of Health Promotion Project by doing literature searches, writing essays, having presentations and peer evaluations. Wide area of young people's oral health promotion was defined as importance of self-care, motivation as a tool for dental hygiene, xylitol and its benefits on oral health, nutritional challenges and their effects on oral health, and effects on smoking and nicotine products on oral health. The event was carried out in Oulu International School in March 2019 and it was part of 9th grade pupils' health education.

The preventive aspect in dental hygienists' work can be seen as an entity by this health promotion project, including planning and collaboration, implementation and evaluation as well as documentation in the form of this publication.

Julkaisija: Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu, Oamk

Aikamääre: Julkaistu 2019-06-28

Pysyvä osoite: http://urn.fi/urn:isbn:978-951-597-175-3

Kieli: englanti

ISBN: 978-951-597-175-3

Suhde: http://urn.fi/URN:ISSN:1798-2022, ePooki - Oulun ammattikorkeakoulun tutkimus- ja kehitystyön julkaisut

Oikeudet: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Näin viittaat tähän julkaisuun

Jussila, A-L. & Oinonen, M. (toim.) 2019. Oral Health Promotion. ePooki. Oulun ammattikorkeakoulun tutkimus- ja kehitystyön julkaisut 49. Hakupäivä 19.3.2024. http://urn.fi/urn:isbn:978-951-597-175-3.

Nowadays health promotion plays an important role in health care ideology and implementation. Individuals' commitments and decisions relate to their health and wellbeing. The general awareness of healthiness has positive impacts also on young people's wellbeing. Dental professionals, in particular dental hygienists are in the important role when promoting oral health for adolescents. That is why the preventive aspect of dental hygienists' work is one of the key contents of their education.


INTRODUCTION

Nowadays health promotion plays an important role in health care ideology and implementation. It's vital to commit individuals to take action with the decisions that concern or have impact on their health and wellbeing. Overall, wellbeing has been on display in publicity and media for several years and therefore people are already quite aware of its' meaning and they are ready to make efforts to achieve and maintain health.  

This general awareness has positive impacts also on young people's wellbeing. Healthy behavior and habits are more easy to adopt as a child or teenager than later on. We need to have an easy access to information, which is suitable for children and teenagers to their health and functionality. Children and teenagers need to be motivated and encouraged to work for their general wellbeing. Dental professionals, in particular dental hygienists are in the important role when promoting oral health for adolescents.  

Dental hygiene students' ability to oral health promotion was practiced during the Health Promotion Project course by doing literature searches, writing essays and having presentations and peer evaluations. Wide area of young people's oral health promotion was defined as importance of self-care, motivation as a tool for dental hygiene, xylitol and its benefits on oral health, nutritional challenges and their effects on oral health, and effects of smoking and nicotine products on oral health. The project event was carried out in Oulu International School in March 2019 and it was part of the 9th grade pupils' health education.  

The preventive aspect in dental hygienists' work can be seen as an entity in this health promotion project, including planning and collaboration, implementation and evaluation as well as documentation in the form of this publication.   

 

Oulu, 14th June 2019 

Aino-Liisa Jussila and Meeri Oinonen

The Role of Dental Hygienist in Oral Health Promotion in Finland

The Role of Dental Hygienist in Oral Health Promotion in Finland

Oinonen Meeri

Term oral health may have variable meaning for different people. Quite often a thought of healthy, functional and approvable teeth comes to mind, but actually oral health is much more. It is a question of individual's general wellbeing, functionality and overall health. Poor oral hygiene has negative effect on oral health. Oral health has a strong socio-behavioral and environmental basis and the significance of oral hygiene in biofilm control is a well-known and recognized fact.  

Importance of oral self-care

Importance of Oral Self-Care

Elgbacka Suvi, Erola Ella-Liisa, Haikala Iida, Keskitalo Rosa, Manninen Hanne, Penttilä Jenna, Jussila Aino-Liisa

Tooth brushing is relevant for promoting good dental and oral health. Periodontal diseases are quite common among young adults and they also have bigger need for periodontal treatment than for caries treatments. Gingivitis is a sign of poor oral hygiene and it can progress to periodontitis. Caries and periodontal diseases can be avoided by brushing teeth twice a day and cleaning tooth caps once a day. 

Motivation as a tool for dental hygiene

Motivation as a Tool for Dental Hygiene

Heiskanen Jake, Palo Johanna, Outila Iida, Vuorma Mari, Jussila Aino-Liisa

Dental hygienist students of Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OUAS) are arranging an event in the International School in Oulu for the 7th graders. Aim of the event is to teach the youth important facts about dental health. Brushing teeth regularly twice a day, avoiding snacks, drinking water instead of juices and soft drinks, and having xylitol after every meal are the best ways of treating your dental health. 

Oral Health Promotion for Young People

Oral Health Promotion for Young People

Huhtala Merja, Paasovaara Jonna, Previ Marlene, Riskilä Kreeta, Tikkanen Rinna, Jussila Aino-Liisa

This article contains health promotional material about drinks that includes the following subjects: what are the pH-values of different drinks, how much sugar do different drinks contain and why is it important not to drink sweetened drinks along the day. The aim of this article is to provide new information about these matters to knowledge the risks and decrease the usage of sweetened drinks along the day. 

Xylitol and its benefits on oral health

Xylitol and its Benefits on Oral Health

Boricheva Ekaterina, Elsilä Saara, Häkkilä Eveliina, Karjalainen Laura, Kinnunen Elina, Laapotti Laura, Ballardin Lisa, Jussila Aino-Liisa

Xylitol is a product found from plants and it can prevent tooth decay. Using chewing gum or pastilles that contain xylitol after every meal is an easy way to stop acid attack and help your teeth to remain healthy. 

Nutritional Challenges and their Effects in Oral Health

Nutritional Challenges and their Effects in Oral Health among Ninth-Graders

Tasala Laura, Paso Jaana, Lautamo Elina, Ervasti Katja, Kaisto Salla, Iinatti Sanna-Mari, Jussila Aino-Liisa

Tooth erosion and dental caries prevalence in the younger population have raised concern in the dental community. The main reasons for erosion and caries are poor oral hygiene and consumption of carbonated drinks and acidic sweets and snacks. Informing adolescents of these harmful dietary habits is important in promotion of good oral health. 

Effects of Smoking and Nicotine Products

Effects of Smoking and Nicotine Products on Oral Health

Cozzio Marta, Heikkinen Roosa, Kesti Minna, Lepola Saana, Määttä Jonna, Poikajärvi Laura-Kaisa, Ristaniemi Heli, Jussila Aino-Liisa

Smoking is one of the most significant risk factor in many diseases. That's why prohibiting the beginning of smoking and encouraging quitting is very effective way to boost general health. Youngsters are especially vulnerable to start smoking and by targeting adolescents for anti-smoking information, smoking in the future will decrease nationwide. 


CONCLUSIONS

Jussila Aino-Liisa, Oinonen Meeri


Adequate literature searching skills and creative collaboration skills inside and between the study groups were needed to product the different phases of the event of oral health promotion. Writing the essays for this publication in English was also one of the objectives of the studies, which consequently deepened the students’ professional knowledge. Working together with Italian exchange students offered a great opportunity for internationalization.

Internationalization is one of the most important issues of current interest, also in the studies of students of dental hygiene. At the moment all the students of Oulu University of Applied Sciences have 30 ECTS of their studies in foreign language. In the degree program of dental hygiene, Finnish students have a great opportunity to learn more about studies and profession of an Italian dental hygienist as they study e.g. health promotion or perform practical training in our dental clinic together with Italian exchange students. Correspondingly incoming exchange students learn about Finnish system. Finnish students don’t necessarily need to travel abroad in order to get internationalized. They have a chance for it here, at their own campus in Finland.

This kind of project is a motivating and inspiring way for students of dental hygiene to learn more about the health promotion for children and adolescents. It has also given a new perspective for the teachers – this has been a small experiment of shared or team teaching with the areas of different expertise. We have had a great chance to work together in a new way, that we´ll hopefully continue and develop in the future.