Anthropology meets Dentistry in Central America: Research and education in oralbiology
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Fornai, C., 2024. Anthropology meets Dentistry in Central America: Research and education in oralbiology. REVISTA ARGENTINA DE ANTROPOLOGÍA BIOLÓGICA 26.
Oral health is profoundly influenced by socioeconomic factors and the most vulnerable groups are usually those affected by the poorest oral health conditions. Discrepancies in oral health observable both between countries with different welfare and within different social groups of the same country are parallelled also by inequalities in the healthcare system. Because of the complexity of the stomatognathic system and the number of etiological factors at play in the development and maintenance of its ailments, a progress in oral health care can be obtained only through combined efforts of different institutions and stakeholders, aimed at activating virtuous mechanisms for the improvement of oral health. Before possible solutions can be taken into account, a clear understanding of the epidemiological profile of a certain human group should be reached. For this reason, two main preliminary steps need to be undertaken. First, an epidemiological assessment
should be conducted to clearly understand prevalence, distribution, and effects of certain (oral) pathologies and physiological adaptations, such as wear and bruxism. Second, the influence of different potential etiological agents should be carefully explored. Targeted efforts for the effective resolution of problems can be possible only once this background knowledge is established. A high number of genetic, epigenetic, environmental and cultural variables contribute to a specific population pathophysiological profile, reflecting their biology and population history. The phenotypic presentation of the stomatognathic system, including its physical appearance (i.e., morphology) and its physiological profile in combination with socioeconomic and cultural factors concur in the determination of its functions and dysfunctions. Thus, it is my belief that a collaboration between anthropologists and dental clinicians should be most effective in exploring the complex set of phenomena contributing to oral pathogenesis.