A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain

Background Orofacial pain including musculoskeletal pains frequently called temporomandibular disorders poses a significant public health challenge. Chronic pains lasting greater than three months have significant impact on people’s ability to communicate, eat, drink, express emotion and be intimate...

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Main Author: Sujay A. J. Mehta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Journal of the California Dental Association
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19424396.2025.2525119
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author Sujay A. J. Mehta
author_facet Sujay A. J. Mehta
author_sort Sujay A. J. Mehta
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description Background Orofacial pain including musculoskeletal pains frequently called temporomandibular disorders poses a significant public health challenge. Chronic pains lasting greater than three months have significant impact on people’s ability to communicate, eat, drink, express emotion and be intimate with ongoing pain. The establishment and recognition of orofacial pain as a specialty encourages further collaboration across various disciplines, improving education and training specific to the recognition and management of complex mouth and face pains and further research at various levels to improve patient care.Types of Studies Reviewed A narrative review offers a public health summary analysis of information and data, the education and awareness of scientific knowledge, and ensuring appropriate care is offered at the community and population level. Historic challenges specific to TMD have included a variety of terms and theories as to mechanisms of action, poorly coordinated care across medicine and dentistry, lack of access to care with associated financial burden in a primarily private payer model of care, and a delay in communicating evidence base to clinicians.Results and Practical Implications The recent recognition of orofacial pain as a specialty coupled with a holistic definition to oral health and improved understanding to the widest scope of oral diseases reinforces the need for a public health approach to addressing multiple challenges in the care of individuals suffering from various types of orofacial pains.
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spelling doaj-art-5a84f602ae6b467b8acfda14b97b65372025-08-20T03:30:52ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of the California Dental Association1942-43962025-12-0153110.1080/19424396.2025.2525119A Public Health Approach to Orofacial PainSujay A. J. Mehta0Vancouver Orofacial Pain, Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaBackground Orofacial pain including musculoskeletal pains frequently called temporomandibular disorders poses a significant public health challenge. Chronic pains lasting greater than three months have significant impact on people’s ability to communicate, eat, drink, express emotion and be intimate with ongoing pain. The establishment and recognition of orofacial pain as a specialty encourages further collaboration across various disciplines, improving education and training specific to the recognition and management of complex mouth and face pains and further research at various levels to improve patient care.Types of Studies Reviewed A narrative review offers a public health summary analysis of information and data, the education and awareness of scientific knowledge, and ensuring appropriate care is offered at the community and population level. Historic challenges specific to TMD have included a variety of terms and theories as to mechanisms of action, poorly coordinated care across medicine and dentistry, lack of access to care with associated financial burden in a primarily private payer model of care, and a delay in communicating evidence base to clinicians.Results and Practical Implications The recent recognition of orofacial pain as a specialty coupled with a holistic definition to oral health and improved understanding to the widest scope of oral diseases reinforces the need for a public health approach to addressing multiple challenges in the care of individuals suffering from various types of orofacial pains.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19424396.2025.2525119Public healthdental public healthorofacial paintemporomandibular disorders
spellingShingle Sujay A. J. Mehta
A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain
Journal of the California Dental Association
Public health
dental public health
orofacial pain
temporomandibular disorders
title A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain
title_full A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain
title_fullStr A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain
title_full_unstemmed A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain
title_short A Public Health Approach to Orofacial Pain
title_sort public health approach to orofacial pain
topic Public health
dental public health
orofacial pain
temporomandibular disorders
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19424396.2025.2525119
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