Maria Papavergos shares what she learned through conversations with six key figures in oral health, from the mouth-body connection to counteracting negative bias.
Knowledge is power. Power for behavioural change, power for better health. When I look into my patients’ mouths, I realise there is so much people don’t know.
Oral health is overlooked. Historically, dentistry has been a ‘fix the problem’ service, with little time and little value placed on education and prevention. And yet, the vast majority of the disease we treat is preventable. Moreover, it is not just the dental profession, but the education system that misses out on the message of health. Schools are not teaching children to be healthy, with sweets for snacks and processed foods presented. We have created a culture of snacking, compounded with poor food choices and a void in communication as to how lifestyle connects to our bodies, how health connects to our mouths.
‘It doesn’t have to be this way’
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