Dental public health

Dental public health (DPH) is a specialty of dentistry also known as Preventive and Community Dentistry.

Dental public health is involved in the assessment of dental health needs and improving the dental health of populations rather than individuals.

One of the controversial subjects relating to dental public health is fluoridation of drinking water. Commercial mouthwashes have also been a cause for concern, with some studies linking them to an increased risk of oral cancer.

Academic resources

There seems to be a lot more that can be done to help individuals prevent tooth decay based on what is already known.

Even with fluoridation and oral hygiene, tooth decay is still the most common food – related disease affecting all families, having the economic impact of heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

However decay is easy to prevent by reducing acid demineralisation from food left on teeth, neutralising acid after eating, or at least twice a day chewing a special form of toothpaste before or after brushing.