Maria Papavergos discusses the importance of prioritising your health and wellbeing.
Dental professionals are healthcare providers. We offer patients our expertise in diagnosing and treating oral disease. We are the leading voice in oral disease prevention and oral health education. Yet do we lead by example when it comes to our health? With over 80 per cent of dental professionals feeling burned out, is it not time to prioritise our health?
As a group of driven and resilient individuals, dental professionals are motivated by accomplishment and achievement. There are numerous positives to this skill set, but the downside is the tendency to overburden and focus on results. This is where coping strategies for stress management play a role. I think it is time to shift our focus inwards to set an example for our patients and start to practise what we preach.
Oral health as part of overall health
Let’s put the aesthetic smile aside and refocus on oral health as part of overall health. Honing in on health has to trump beauty. Beautiful smiles should be synonymous with healthy, happy smiles. And a healthy, happy lifestyle is a prerequisite for a healthy, happy smile. If we dental professionals can value our health and educate others to do the same, surely this can reap widespread rewards for better health outcomes.
A mindful approach to oral health by connecting a healthy mouth to a healthy mind and body is fundamental to practising what we preach. Through positive lifestyle choices and prioritising nutrition, we can start to take control of our mental and physical health and empower patients to do the same.
We have robust evidence that oral health impacts systemic health in many ways. The bidirectional link between chronic inflammatory disease and periodontal status is well established. Emerging evidence is also linking the oral microbiome to gut health and even fertility.
With oral diseases affecting almost half the global population and dental caries being the most common health condition worldwide, the overall health burden is substantial. We know tooth decay is responsible for the majority of hospital admissions in young children and that this disease is preventable. Yet how many dental professionals are snacking on cakes and biscuits in the staff room? We know that over 50 per cent of mouth cancers are associated with a diet low in fruit and vegetables. But how many dental professionals are eating at least 30 different varieties of plants each week?
Let’s talk lifestyle
Lifestyle impacts all aspects of health, oral health included, and it is within everyone’s reach.
By believing in and subscribing to our health messaging, we can be authentic, better dental professionals. Lifestyle matters. The mouth-body connection is real. So, what can we do to put health back into healthcare?
Making mindful mealtime choices can be a great way to start.
You could fill a big fruit bowl in the staff room and take out the biscuits. Encourage your team to bring a water bottle into surgery instead of a cup of tea or coffee.
We need to be fuelling ourselves, our colleagues and our patients to feel good and subsequently perform better. It is time to take responsibility for health and wellbeing in the workplace as well as in wider healthcare settings.
Work-life balance
There may be patients we recognize signs of stress through oral symptoms, whom we can help guide and advise. If we see the same signs in ourselves, should we not also take the time to evaluate if our routines are working for or against us?
Managing stress by prioritising the work-life balance is essential. Creating a routine which allows for sufficient decompression, makes time for movement, and creates opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, is fundamental. One way to achieve this at work could be by encouraging breakout sessions of yoga and meditation.
We are in a profession that treats plenty of preventable diseases. If we want people to value their oral health, they need to value their overall health and vice versa. Dental professionals are in a position to lead by example, educate and empower. Through practising what we preach, we have an opportunity to inspire our patients, to feel better in ourselves and be more fulfilled in our careers.