Culture plays an important role in human societies. It lays down norms of behavior and provides mechanisms which secure for an individual, his personal and social survival. Culture includes everything which one generation can tell, convey or hand down to the next. Culture has three parts. It is an experience that is learned, shared and transmitted. Acculturation refers to culture contact. There are various ways by which the acculturation can occur, like in the way of trade and commerce, industrialization, propagation of religion, education and conquest to name some.
Every culture has its own customs which may have significant influence on health and oral health. The increased incidence of lung cancer because smoking, cirrhosis because of alcoholism in many developed countries, the surge in the incidence of oral cancer in India due to pan chewing habits are some classical examples to demonstrate the influence of culture on health and oral health. It is now fairly established that the cultural factors are deeply involved in the whole way of life, like in the matters of nutrition, immunization, personal hygiene, family planning, child rearing, seeking early medical care, disposal of solid wastes and human excreta etc.
All cultural practices are not harmful. Every human has the culturally ingrained habit of cleaning or brushing the teeth early in the morning. The use of soap for personal hygiene, oil massaging, exposure of the new born to sunlight etc are some cultural practices that needs to be encouraged. The inclination to get into the habits of smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction in the name of civilization among the younger generation needs to be countered at the earliest, otherwise, it may have a huge deleterious impact on the health status of the generation to come. Keeping in mind, the very significant role, the culture plays on health and oral health, this topic of library dissertation is taken up to review the available literature on effects of key cultural factors on health and oral health.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGIES
3. CULTURAL FACTORS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
4. HOW DOES CULTURE AFFECT ORAL HEALTH
5. CULTURE AND ORAL HEALTH – VARIOUS PRACTICES
A) TOOTH MUTILATION
I) UNINTENTIONAL MODIFICATION OF TEETH
i) HABITS
ii) TEETH AS TOOLS
iii) TOOTH WEAR AND FUNCTION
II) INTENTIONAL MODIFICATION OF TEETH
i) TOOTH AVULSION
ii) TOOTH BUD ENUCLEATION
iii) ALTERING THE SHAPE OF TEETH
iv) DYEING AND LACQUERING
v) INLAYS AND ONLAYS
B) SOFT TISSUE MUTILATION
i) PIERCING OF ORO-FACIAL SOFT TISSUES
ii) UVELECTOMY
iii) FACIAL SCARRING
C) ORAL HABITS
i) TOBACCO HABITS
ii) BETEL HABITS
iii) KOLA NUT HABIT
iv) KHAT CHEWING
v) COCA LEAF CHEWING
vi) CHEWING OF GUMS
D) ORAL HYGIENE HABITS
i) TRADITIONAL ORAL HYGIENE PRACTICE-CHEWING STICKS
ii) OTHER ORAL HYGIENE AIDS
6. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Themes
This work aims to examine the profound influence of cultural factors, customs, and traditional practices on the oral health status of populations worldwide. It explores how societal norms, rituals, and deeply ingrained habits—ranging from dietary patterns to body and dental modifications—impact oral hygiene and general health outcomes, while emphasizing the role of healthcare providers in addressing these sociocultural influences.
- The intersection of culture and oral health behavior.
- Dental and soft tissue modifications practiced for ritualistic or aesthetic purposes.
- Impact of traditional oral habits (tobacco, betel, khat, coca) on the oral cavity.
- Traditional oral hygiene practices and their clinical implications.
- Strategies for dental professionals in addressing harmful traditional practices.
Excerpt from the Book
TOOTH BUD ENUCLEATION
The term ‘germectomy’ was coined by Morgenson for the more radical form of practice involving removal of the primary canines and / or permanent tooth germs.The removal of the incipient canine teeth (`germectomy') in small babies is a practice carried out in many parts of eastern Africa (38). In the dental literature, it has been reported that some rural populations of sub Saharan and eastern Africa and other isolated areas around the world, practice gouging and enuleation of primary cause of vomiting, diarrhea and fevers. It is also been reported that the practice of tooth gouging is no longer confined to rural areas and may well be performed by communities that have emigrated to the UK (39).
Early Perceptions of Teeth
Caries in human dentition was rare prior to the days of agriculture and mass food production, a particular type of food can be harvested in a region, though, it can feed a larger population of people, allowing for further development of civilization. The downfall to this pattern began to harm the health of a person, along with his or her teeth. When the people started experiencing toothaches and cavities due to bacterial infections, they tried to find the reason for toothache (13).
In early societies, magic was quite prevalent, and the idea of the toothworm was created. When severe pain was felt in the tooth, it was believed that the worm was angry and thrashing about and when the pain had stopped, it was believed that the worm was in a state of rest. The earliest record of the story of the toothworm was found in the royal library in Babylonia. The document found was written on a Sumerian clay tablet in cuneiform and dates back to 3000 BC (13).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of how health is an abstract concept and highlights the multifactorial nature of health, establishing the vital link between oral health and general well-being.
2. DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGIES: Defines foundational concepts such as sociology, society, community, customs, mores, folkways, culture, and social norms to set the anthropological framework.
3. CULTURAL FACTORS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: Examines how beliefs regarding supernatural and physical causes of disease, environmental sanitation, food habits, and traditional child-rearing practices impact community health.
4. HOW DOES CULTURE AFFECT ORAL HEALTH: Identifies four domains—help-seeking behavior, oral hygiene practices, beliefs about the oral cavity, and the use of folk remedies—that shape culturally based oral health outcomes.
5. CULTURE AND ORAL HEALTH – VARIOUS PRACTICES: Detailed analysis of diverse practices including tooth mutilation, soft tissue modification, and specific oral habits like tobacco, betel, kola nut, khat, and coca leaf consumption.
6. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the importance of understanding cultural roots in oral health and calls for medical professionals to educate communities to mitigate harmful practices.
Keywords
Oral Health, Culture, Dental Mutilation, Scarification, Uvulectomy, Tobacco, Betel Quid, Khat, Coca Leaves, Traditional Medicine, Oral Hygiene, Miswak, Anthropology, Health Beliefs, Periodontal Disease
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this publication?
The work focuses on how cultural beliefs, traditions, and societal norms influence oral health practices and outcomes globally.
What are the central thematic areas covered in the book?
The primary themes include the cultural aspects of health and disease, the impact of various dental and soft tissue mutilations, the influence of specific oral habits like tobacco and areca nut chewing, and traditional oral hygiene practices.
What is the primary goal of this research?
The primary goal is to review existing literature on how key cultural factors affect oral health, encouraging dental professionals to understand these sociocultural contexts to better educate populations and improve overall health.
Which scientific approaches are utilized in this work?
The book utilizes an anthropological and sociological perspective, reviewing historical records and scientific literature to analyze the prevalence, methods, and clinical consequences of traditional practices on the oral cavity.
What content is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body provides an in-depth review of unintentional and intentional tooth modification, soft tissue mutilation, detailed analysis of specific regional oral habits (tobacco, betel, khat, coca), and historical evaluations of oral hygiene aids like the Miswak.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Oral Health, Cultural Factors, Dental Mutilation, Traditional Practices, Tobacco, Betel Chewing, Scarification, and Oral Hygiene.
What are the health risks associated with the traditional practice of "tooth bud enucleation"?
The removal of developing primary canine buds can cause severe localized enamel hypoplasia in permanent teeth, major disruption to the development of the jaw, serious infections, hemorrhage, sepsis, tetanus, and, in some cases, fatality.
Why is "khat" consumption considered a major health issue?
Khat consumption acts as a stimulant that can lead to adverse effects on the heart, oral mucosal lesions, periodontal disease, halitosis, and significant social and economic consequences for the family unit due to addiction and financial burden.
How does the usage of Miswak compare to a conventional toothbrush?
Controlled studies have found Miswak to be as effective as a conventional toothbrush in removing oral deposits when used with proper technique, while also providing potential additional benefits due to its pharmacological and anti-bacterial properties.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Meenakshi Chopra (Author), Dr. Charu Mohan Marya (Author), Dr. Ruchi Nagpal (Author), 2015, Culture and Oral Health, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/295206
