Part One: What Is Oral Health?

Chapter 1
The Meaning of Oral Health

Chapter 2
The Craniofacial Complex

The two chapters that follow explore the answer to this question, an answer that continues to evolve throughout the report. Oral health means more than healthy teeth and the absence of disease. It involves the ability of individuals to carry out essential functions such as eating and speaking as well as to contribute fully to society. Chapter 1, the introduction, explains how the meaning of oral health has developed in tandem with progress in understanding the two chief dental diseases—dental caries and periodontal diseases—which historically have been the major preoccupation of patients, providers, and research investigators alike. There is a marvelous success story here regarding the role of fluoride in preventing dental caries and the research that proved that dental caries and periodontal diseases are infections and can be prevented. These investigations were complemented by studies of the tissues of the mouth and adjacent areas—the craniofacial complex. Chapter 2 describes the tissues and organs of the craniofacial complex, providing a primer and guide to their essential features that emphasizes the ways they contribute to the richness of human experience, and at the same time protect and nurture the human body.

Next: Chapter 1