Social Determinants of Pediatric Oral Health

Marcio A da Fonseca; David Avenetti

doi:10.1016/j.cden.2017.02.002

Social Determinants of Pediatric Oral Health

Dent Clin North Am. 2017 Jul;61(3):519-532. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2017.02.002. Epub 2017 May 4.

Authors

Marcio A da Fonseca¹, David Avenetti²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 801 South Paulina Street, 254 DENT, Chicago, IL 60612-7211, USA. Electronic address: marcio@uic.edu.
² Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 801 South Paulina Street, 254 DENT, Chicago, IL 60612-7211, USA.

PMID: 28577634
DOI: 10.1016/j.cden.2017.02.002

Abstract

Social determinants of health are defined as conditions in which people are born and live and the role these conditions play on health outcomes. Research indicates that risk factors and their interactions are far more complex than originally thought. This article outlines social determinant constructs and their role in understanding oral health promotion. Due to the complex interactions, oral health must be promoted using a multilevel chronic disease model or common risk factor approach. An understanding of social determinants is particularly important for the pediatric population because optimum oral health and general health in adulthood are heavily influenced by childhood.

Keywords: Children; Health promotion; Inequalities; Oral health; Pediatrics; Public health; Risk factors; Social determinants.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Child
Health Promotion*
Healthcare Disparities*
Humans
Oral Health*
Risk Factors
Social Determinants of Health*