Honors College Thesis
 

The Oregon Tooth Journey : developing a researched-centered community engagement project to improve childhood dental health and education throughout Oregon

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/honors_college_theses/c247f163m

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  • Childhood tooth decay is a prevalent and concerning public health issue that is often misunderstood or dismissed. In Oregon specifically, over 50% of children have experienced at least one instance of tooth decay and these rates are even higher for marginalized communities such as children living in poverty, children of color or children in rural areas. There are numerous factors that contribute to the health of deciduous teeth including but not limited to: diet, fluoridation of drinking water, hygiene habits and education, saliva production, enamel composition, systematic health, mental health, location of living, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and accessibility to preventative and curative care. However, these variables and their relationships to one another are not completely understood. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a research-centered community engagement project titled “The Oregon Tooth Journey,” that employs methods of both laboratory research and valuable community relationships. This study will be collecting deciduous teeth from children in order to conduct laboratory experiments to address missing knowledge and further understand elements of tooth composition as well as the factors that contribute to overall childhood dental health. The information and insight that is gained from this study will be applied in the form of engaging educational activities that will inspire children to learn more about their teeth and how to properly care for them.
  • Key Words: dental, health, education, tooth, children, Oregon, community, engagement
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