Whole mouth health
Oral diseases affect approximately half of the global population (3.7 billion people), and they are the most common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide. Oral diseases impact people throughout their lifetime and have been linked to maternal infections as well as systemic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The Whole Mouth Health project, launched in 2019, promotes oral health literacy and provides personalized, easy-to-understand education that people can apply in their daily lives.
Improving health literacy for better oral health
Health literacy is the ability to understand and take action on health information and make decisions about personal well-being. Health literacy enables people to become autonomous in their health management and engage in informed health choices with their healthcare provider. Limited oral health literacy disproportionality affects people in certain groups, contributing to challenges with health equity, in-turn leading to poorer health outcomes overall and an increased risk of dental caries and periodontal disease.
It is essential to make patients aware that good oral health does not stop at only brushing. The Whole Mouth Health project was launched in 2019 to promote oral health literacy as important for everyday prevention, and to create a platform that focuses on oral health literacy by offering personalized dental health education in a way people can understand and apply to their lives.
Project goals
Goal 1
Identify the oral health literacy principles needed to achieve whole mouth health and to highlight the importance of patient understanding for better oral health outcomes
Goal 2
Provide tools and resources to empower clinicians to deliver patient-centred oral health messages and allow patients to make better oral health choices through an understanding of those messages
Goal 3
Advocate globally to promote oral health literacy as an important element of everyday prevention
Insights From Communities Around the World
This video introduces FDI’s Whole Mouth Health project and the innovative co-design approach used to better understand how people in different communities define oral health and a “healthy mouth.” Through participatory workshops held across four countries, the project gathered insights into real-world perceptions and challenges.
The video highlights:
- What a “healthy mouth” means and why it matters
- How the co-design methodology brings community voices into oral health solutions
- Key findings that will shape future educational tools and strategies, and advocacy
Watch the video to see how Whole Mouth Health places people at the centre of oral health, redefining education and strengthening oral disease prevention.
Infographics: Overview and Community Findings
Infographic 1: The Whole Mouth Health Project and Co-design Methodology
This infographic provides an overview of the Whole Mouth Health initiative, explaining how FDI worked with communities to explore oral health through a co-design framework.
Infographic 2: What Does a Healthy Mouth Mean to You? Key Insights From Four Countries
This findings infographic reflects the voices of participants from workshops held in four countries. It highlights how individuals from diverse communities perceive a “healthy mouth,” including aesthetics, functionality, social confidence, and overall well-being.
Whole Mouth Health Arcade
Take a fun journey into the mouth! You are invited to be a part of a worldwide research project.
By taking part in these activities, you are part of a global team that is exploring people's understanding of whole mouth health.
The Whole mouth health project is supported by :
