Nutrition Care Practices of Dietitians and Oral Health Professionals for Oral Health Conditions: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Oral health conditions, such as dental caries, pose a substantial burden worldwide. Although there are many risk factors for poor oral health, diet is often implicated as a cause of these issues. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and map studies that have captured information on the “real-world” nutrition care practices of oral health professionals (OHPs) and dietitians to optimize oral health, and specifically the dentition and periodontium. Methods: A search of peer-reviewed articles was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase. Articles that addressed the review objective and met the following criteria were included: English language, published since 2000, and study conducted in a high-income country. Results: Overall, 70 articles were included. Most articles reported on cross-sectional survey studies and provided self-reported data on OHP practices; few articles reported on dietitians. Most articles reported only general/unspecific information on assessment and intervention practices, such as dietary analysis, nutrition counselling, and diet advice, and lacked specific information about the care provided, such as the dietary assessment tools used, type of information provided, and time spent on these activities. Barriers to the provision of nutrition care by OHPs were common and included time and lack of remuneration. Few studies reported on collaboration between dietitians and OHPs. Conclusions: Several studies have captured self-reported information on nutrition care practices of OHPs related to oral health; however, there is limited information available on the details of the care provided. Few studies have examined the practices of dietitians.

Dietitians’ Experiences of Providing Oral Health Promotion to Clients with an Eating Disorder: A Qualitative Study

“…As with any non-dental health professionals trying to expand their capacity in oral health, this was an expected finding and, again, one that had been foretold in previous studies. As reported by Lieffers and colleagues in a study of nutrition care practices around oral health conditions of dietitians and dental professionals, inadequate training was listed amongst the three most common barriers reported by dietitians [ 51 ]. This is also supported by the findings from a review of dietetic practice where no formalised training for OHP was identified and there were limited dietetic-specific resources for upskilling in OHP [ 31 ].…”

Characterizing the Content Related to Oral Health Education on TikTok

“…Recently, the use of interdental brushes has been highlighted to reduce the risk of interdental dysbiosis, inflammation and consequently the risk of interproximal caries and periodontal diseases [ 46 , 47 , 48 ]. Dietary guidelines to reduce food intake-snacking—are also of high relevance [ 49 ] since the oral health is associated with a healthy diet [ 31 ]. This is especially important since the eating habits acquired during the college years will impact the foundation of a lifelong lifestyle [ 50 ].…”

Exploring the attitudes of general dental practitioners to providing dietary advice alongside oral rehabilitation for older adults

“…However, very few GDPs provide dietary advice on a regular basis; the advice provided is often limited and is usually focused on preventing dental diseases rather than focusing on nutrient intake. 18,19 Currently, there is a lack of information on GDPs'attitudes and barriers experienced in delivering dietary advice in practice alongside prosthetic treatment. One recent study qualitatively explored the views of both patients and dental practitioners to inform the development of patient-centric eating advice for denture wearers.…”

“…Those within the oral health professions may be in a position to deliver brief dietary advice to older adults receiving restoration treatment. However, very few GDPs provide dietary advice on a regular basis; the advice provided is often limited and is usually focused on preventing dental diseases rather than focusing on nutrient intake 18,19 …”