Determinants of Oral Diseases in the African and Middle

East Region
M.M. Chidzonga1 L.C. Carneiro2 B.M. Kalyanyama2 F. Kwamin3 F.O. Oginni4 1Department of
Dentistry, University of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences, Harare, Zimbabwe 2School of
Dentistry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 3Deparment
of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, University of Ghana, Dental School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana
4Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, College of Health Sciences,
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria M.M. Chidzonga, Department of Dentistry, University
of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box A178, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe. Email:
mtmchidzongaatyahoo.com Abstract Oral health policies must be developed that emphasize the role
of social determinants in health and oral diseases. The aim of this report is to review literature on
determinants of oral diseases and apply the concepts to promoting oral health in the African
countries in the African and Middle East region (AMER). Structural and proximal determinants of
oral diseases are common to those affected info by other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Oral
diseases are also heavily affected by issues of politics, poor health behaviors, underdeveloped health
systems, and low oral health literacy. Wide-scale poverty exists in populations in the AMER. Oral
health promotion and preventive oral health programs should therefore be integrated with those for
general health and use the common risk factor approach (CRFA). Attempts should be made to
improve the daily living conditions and reduce the incline of the social gradient. Oral health
practitioners should use the CRFA when dealing with determinants of oral diseases and in the design
of preventive oral health programs. The detrimental effects of the social determinants of health may
be ameliorated by involving both the individual and community. Interventions in health promotion
programs in the AMER need more research on the epidemiology of oral diseases and the role played
by the social determinants of oral diseases, especially with regard to poverty. The high levels of
poverty and low gross domestic product in most countries in the African region make it difficult to
fund high-quality, affordable, accessible oral health services.
Article Notes This information was presented at the GOHIRA-AMER Pre-conference workshop, in
connection with the IADR/AMER General Session in Cape Town, South Africa on June 24, 2014.
Workshop and supplement sponsored by the International Association for Dental Research and the
Borrow Foundation. AMER is grateful to IADR and to the Borrow Foundation for their financial
support for the GOHIRA-AMER satellite symposium and for this supplement.
The authors received no financial support and declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect
to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

International & American Associations for Dental

Research 2015
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