Abstract
Theoretical frameworks on health promotion focusing on social determinants of oral health have highlighted promising approaches for improving the oral health of populations and reducing inequities in oral health. In the last two decades the salutogenic theory has gained ground in the field of health promotion, but not in oral health promotion. Instead of focusing on risk factors and behavior change, the theory highlights the importance of resources and the ability to use them. The model's central construct, sense of coherence (SOC), suggests explanations of the relationship between life stressors and health status. The stronger the SOC, the more successfully people will cope with stressors and thus maintain their health. This paper discusses the potential of the salutogenic theory to guide the development of actions in the five fields of oral health promotion: creating supportive environments; promoting health through public policy; strengthening community action; developing personal skills; and reorienting health services. The theory can serve as a framework for oral health promotion measures that strengthen the available resources, create better ones, and enable people to identify and benefit from them.
Highlights
Theoretical frameworks on health promotion focusing on social determinants of oral health have highlighted promising approaches for improving the oral health of populations and reducing inequities in oral health
A longitudinal study in the United Kingdom showed that strong sense of coherence (SOC) was associated with a 30% reduction in all-cause mortality after adjusting for social class and several risk factors
Salutogenesis is a promising concept to apply to oral health promotion, since the theory focuses on both individual and social environmental factors, rather than exclusively on risk factors and changing health behaviors
Summary
Theoretical frameworks on health promotion focusing on social determinants of oral health have highlighted promising approaches for improving the oral health of populations and reducing inequities in oral health. Considering the impact of the environment on health, several actions of oral health promotion that aim to create salutogenic factors can be developed in different places where people live, study, and work These include increased availability of sugar-free beverages and snacks at affordable prices, psychological support from family and friends, and reduction of anxiety 49. Control over one’s own life from a community empowerment perspective includes the acquisition of individual competences (e.g. development of confidence and self-esteem), critical analysis of the social and political environment, and the development of collective resources for social and political action to achieve better health 56 In this sense, strategies that seek to strengthen social networks, stimulating the formation of alliances between oral health professionals and communitarian activists, groups, and institutions responsible for the promotion of community health can be highlighted. Improvements in a range of chronic conditions could be achieved more efficiently and effectively
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