Complexity of women's oral-systemic health: A call for transdisciplinary research

Background: Research has demonstrated oral-systemic health connections that impact women's overall health and well-being. Oral-systemic health linkages that only or disproportionately affect women can cause, or be the result of, poor oral health (i.e. periodontitis; oral bone loss; dental caries). These linkages include: a) hormonal changes during puberty, menses, pregnancy and menopause; b) cardiovascular disease; c) diabetes; d) osteoporosis; e) immune-suppression disorders (i.e. cancer; transplant recipients; arthritis; HIV/AIDS); and f) respiratory diseases (i.e. chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder). Several psychosocial conditions and behaviors associated with poor oral health also disproportionately affect women: eating disorders; substance use/abuse; sexually transmitted infections; and stress. Additionally, women in poverty are less likely to access oral health care, leading to higher rates of caries and contributing to social stigma due to poor appearance of teeth. Poor oral health can lead to tooth loss and early childhood caries, contributing to nutritional deficiencies and low body mass index.

Call to Action: The intersection of poverty, psychosocial and behavioral factors with oral-systemic health has received little attention and necessitates the synthesis of disciplines, theories and methods to critically examine these relationships. A transdisciplinary approach can bridge such biological, behavioral, and social-economic oral-systemic connections. Although barriers to transdisciplinary research must be addressed (i.e. reductionist thinking; isolated disciplines; lack of institutional supports), this approach is uniquely positioned to address complex oral-systemic issues. Synthesizing and creating effective and holistic primary, secondary and tertiary prevention interventions through transdisciplinary research is needed to improve women's oral-systemic health and decrease disparities across the lifespan.