 However, he might need professional help
PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION
(Community Health Education)
Health education is any combination of learning
experiences designed to help individuals and
communities improve their health, by increasing their
knowledge or influencing their attitudes (WHO)
Health education has been used interchangeably with:
Behavior change communication
Information, Education & Communication (IEC)
Objectives of Health Education
Objectives of Health Education (2)
INFORMING PEOPLE:
 people are informed about the different
diseases, their etiology and how to prevent
them.
MOTIVATING PEOPLE:
 concerned with clarifying/changing or forming
attitudes, beliefs, values or opinions. After
health information is given, it is necessary to
motivate them alter their lifestyles so that it
becomes favorable to promoting health and
preventing disease.
 MOTIVATION is defined as "a combination of
forces which initiate, direct and sustain
behavior
GUIDING IN TO ACTION:
 concerned with development of skills and
action.
 A person who has obtained health
information might be motivated to change
his behavior and lifestyle.
and guidance so as to bring about these
changes and to sustain these altered
lifestyles
CONTENTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION
Human Biology:
 The effects of alcohol, smoking, resuscitation
and first aid are also taught.
Nutrition:
 Eighth WHO Expert Committee on nutrition
stated that education in nutrition is a major
strategic method for the prevention of
malnutrition.
Hygiene:
 PERSONAL HYGIENE includes bathing,
clothing, washing hands and toilet; care of
feet, nails and teeth; spitting, coughing,
sneezing, personal appearance and inculcation
of clean habits in the young.
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE:
Objectives:
a) to educate the people in the principles of
environmental health with a view to bring about
desired changes in health practices
b) to secure adoption, wide use and maintenance
of environmental health facilities, and
c) to promote active participation of the people in
planning, construction and operational stages of
environmental improvements.
Family Health Care:
 The aim of health education is to strengthen
and improve the quality of life of the family as
a unit so that it can survive the vicissitudes of
rapid and complex social changes.
Control of Communicable and Non- communicable
Diseases:
 People are encouraged to participate in
programmes of disease control, health
protection and promotion.
Mental health:
 Components:
 The aim of education in mental health is to help
1. motivation
people to keep mentally healthy and to prevent
2. communication
a mental breakdown
3. decision making
Prevention of Accidents  results slow, but permanent and enduring.
 Sufficient time for an individual to bring about
 occur in three main areas: the home, road and
changes and learning new facts as well as
the place of work.
unlearning wrong information as well.
 Safety education should be directed to these

areas.
APPROACH IN HEALTH EDUCATION
 It should be the concern of the engineering
department and also the responsibility of the  Since individuals vary so much in their socio-
police department to enforce rules of road economic conditions, traditions, attitudes,
safety. beliefs and level of knowledge
 Management must provide a safe environment,  A single approach may not be suitable.
and promote general order and cleanliness.  Combination of approaches must be evolved
depending upon local circumstances
Use of Health Services
Health Education VS Propaganda
 inform the public about the health services
that are available in the community, and how to PROPAGANDA
use them.
 defined by Webster as ideas or statements
 They should not be misused or abused
that are often false or exaggerated and that
APPROACH IN HEALTH EDUCATION are spread in order to help a cause, a political
leader, a government, etc.
1. Regulatory Approach (Managed Prevention)
2. Service Approach
3. Educational Approach
4. Primary health care Approach

Legal or Regulatory Approach

 Any governmental intervention, direct or

indirect, designed to alter human behaviour

Service Approach

 Intends to provide all the health facilities

needed by the people at their door steps on
the assumption that people would use them to
improve their own health.
 Limitation: not based on the felt-needs of
people

Educational Approach

 Most effective
 Gives autonomy towards their own lives
 Principles of Health Education

1. Community involvement in planning health

education is essential. Without community
involvement the chances of any programme
succeeding are slim.
2. The promotion of self-esteem should be an
integral component of all health education
programmes.
3. Voluntarism is ethical principle on which all
health education programme should be built
without its health education programmes
become propaganda.
o Health education should not seek to
coerce but should rather aim to
facilitate informed choice.
4. Health education should respect cultural
norms and take account of the economic and
environmental constraints face by people. It
should seek positively to enhance respect for
all. Methods of Health Education
5. Good human relations are of utmost importance
in learning. 1. Individual approach
6. Evaluation needs to be an integral part of 2. Group approach
health education. o chalk and talk
7. There should be a responsibility for the o symposium
accuracy of information and the o group discussion
appropriateness of methods used. o panel discussion
8. Every health campaign needs reinforcement. o workshop
o Repetition of messages at intervals is o conferences or seminars
useful o role playing/socio drama
o demonstrations
Educational Aids Used in Health Education
3. Mass approach
1. Audio
Various Mass Media Used Are
2. Visuals
3. Audio Visuals o Television
o Radio
o Newspaper/Press
o Documentary Films
o Posters
o Health Exhibitions
o Health Magazines
o Health Information Booklets
o Internet
 PLAQUE CONTROL
PLAQUE
 is a clear sticky gelatinous aggregation of
bacterial colonies which adhere on the
surfaces of the teeth and gingival tissue
 It is not a unidimensional or even single entity.
Plaque appears to be associated with:
o initiation dental caries
o formation of calculus
o inflammatory responses
Substances most frequently implicated with plaque
Enzymes- capable of hydrolyzing intercellular
substances. (amylopectin)
Toxins- particularly bacterial endotoxins
capable of lysing tissue cells and thus releasing
intercellular inflammatory products.
Inflammatory antibodies- resulting from
reaction of the tissue cells with antigenic
bacterial components.
Cycle of plaque formation
Pellicle- deposition of a thin mucoprotein coat
on the tooth surface
Biofilm/colonies- pellicle serves as nidus for
the attachment of microorganism
Calculus- mineralization and production of
extracellular products for plaque adhesion
begins from tooth surface and proceeds
outward
Salivary glues/protein- dextran and Levan
Types of Plaque
1. supragingival
2. subgingival
Gram positive, thick, single cell wall, retain
purple color when stained in a dye known as
crystal violet
Gram negative, double cell wall, do not stain
purple, associated in tissue destruction seen in
periodontitis
Disclosing agent- identify presence of plaque
DENTRIFICES (toothpaste)
A. Active Ingredient
1. fluoride
safe fluoride content for over-the-counter
dentifrices is 0.22 percent for sodium, 0.76 percent
for monofluorophospate and 0.4 percent for stannous
2. Antimicrobial dentifrices
a) stannous salts
b) triclosan –broad spectrum phosphate and
disodium dihydrogen
c) anti-tartar – tetrasodium phosphate and
disodium dihydrogen
d) ant hypersensitivity agents – potassium
nitrate, strontium chloride and sodium citrate
B. Inactive ingredients
1. humectants – prevent drying of dentifrice,
glycerin and sorbitol
2. Preservatives – prolong shelf life, alcohol and
benzoates
3. Flavoring agents – menthol
4. Foaming agents – sodium lauryl sulfate
5. Coloring agents – vegetable dyes
6. Thickening agent – alginate (prevent separation
of solid and liquid agents)
MOUTH RINSES
Types
1. Cosmetic – reduce oral malodor
2. Therapeutic – reduce some disease in the mouth
 Ingredients: :

1. Oxygenating agents – cleanses by effervescent 4. Foods - such as onions, garlic or cauliflower,

action, short lasting antimicrobial effect, which induce certain odors. However, these
hydrogen peroxide. effects are only short-lived.
2. Chlorhexidine gluconate – inhibits and reduces
development of plaque.
3. Phenolic – related essential oils – reduces both
plaque accumulation, bitter taste and burning
sensation
4. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds – central
halitosis.
5. Sanguinarine – antigingivitis
6. Fluoride – antiplaque
7. 1.2% Chlorhexidine – Perio guard, orahex
8. 1% Hexetidine – appliance
9. Zinc Chloride with cetylpyridinium- halitosis

Volatile Sulfur Compound and Halitosis

Sulfur sulfide
Methyl mercaptan

Apart from the Sulphur-producing bacteria that

colonize the back of the tongue,
the other major causes of halitosis are:

Dental factors – such as periodontitis

(infection around the teeth) or poor oral
hygiene
Dry mouth – caused by medicines, alcohol,
stress or a medical condition
Smoking – which starves the mouth of oxygen.

Less common causes of halitosis include:

1. Acid and bile reflux from the stomach

2. Post-nasal discharge – for example, due to
chronic sinusitis
3. Kidney failure, various carcinomas, metabolic
dysfunctions, and biochemical disorders,
together account for only a very small
percentage of halitosis suffers