Abstract
BackgroundMany factors influence how a person experiences oral health and how such experiences may facilitate supportive oral health behaviours. Women in particular face different challenges due to their environment, responsibilities and physiological differences to men. Within Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are reported to have poorer oral health and are faced with additional barriers to supporting their oral health compared with non-Indigenous women. The objective of this paper is to report the experiences and perceptions of oral health from the perspective of urban, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.MethodsThe present data derive from a descriptive study that used yarning circles and face-to-face interviews with women who were mothers/carers of urban, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children. This was a qualitative study to investigate the impact of child oral health on families. Participants used the opportunity to share their own personal experiences of oral health as women, thus providing data for the present analyses. Information collected was transcribed and analysed thematically.ResultsTwenty women shared their personal narratives on the topic of oral health which were reflective of different time points in their life: growing up, as an adult and as a mother/carer. Although women are trying to support their oral health across their life-course, they face a number of barriers, including a lack of information and the costs of accessing dental care. The teenage years and pregnancy were reported as important time periods for oral health support.ConclusionsTo improve the oral health of Indigenous Australian women, policymakers must consider the barriers reported by women and critically review current oral health information and services. Current oral health services are financially out of reach for Indigenous Australian women and there is not sufficient or appropriate, oral information across the life-course.
Highlights
Many factors influence how a person experiences oral health and how such experiences may facilitate supportive oral health behaviours
Along with discussions regarding the impact of child oral health, which have been previously published [25], participants shared their personal narratives on the topic of oral health
The research suggests that current oral health policies are insufficient in supporting Indigenous Australian women across their life course
Summary
Many factors influence how a person experiences oral health and how such experiences may facilitate supportive oral health behaviours. Oral health can be influenced by behaviours related to women’s traditional gender roles such as being the primary carer of children and responsible for domestic duties which include but are not limited to grocery shopping, Butten et al BMC Oral Health (2020) 20:35 cooking meals and facilitating family health care [7, 8]. The intensity of these roles can be heightened if women are single parents. The fluctuation of sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) change the oral environment and can increase inflammation and bacterial colonisation, putting women at increased risk of caries and periodontitis amongst other conditions [11]
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