How Is Oral Health Promoted and Maintained and How Are Oral Diseases Prevented?
The next three chapters review how individuals, health care practitioners, communities, and the nation as a whole contribute to oral health. Chapter 7 reviews the evidence for the efficacy and effectiveness of oral health promotion and disease prevention measures with a focus on community efforts in preventing dental disease. It continues with a discussion of the need to expand efforts in such areas as oral cancer prevention. Chapter 8 explores the role of the individual and the health care provider in promoting and maintaining oral health and well-being. For the individual, this means exercising appropriate self-care and adopting healthy behaviors. For the provider, it means incorporating the knowledge emerging from the science base in a timely manner for prevention and diagnosis, risk assessment and risk management, and treatment of oral diseases and disorders. The chapter focuses largely on the oral health care provider. The management of oral and craniofacial health and disease nec
