Exploring the Relationship Between Oral Hygiene & Wearing Gold Grills - Research Proposal

Introduction

The research proposal seeks to address the practice of wearing gold grills, gold caps, as well as installing permanent gold teeth as an alternative of protecting teeth and gums. Prior studies in the field of oral hygiene illustrate that there is a direct relationship between oral hygiene and the use of grills. However, there are disparities between blacks and whites (Como, Stein Duker & Polido et al., 2019). As a result, the study also seeks to determine if people wear mouth adornments to compensate for the lack of adequate dental insurance. Additionally, it seeks to uncover if wearing gold grills or permanent installation of gold teeth contributes to issues encountered in oral health, such as tooth and gum decay or it positively contributes to quality of life of individuals. In this regard, the research is based on the following objectives;

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• To assess the effect of developing equality in accessing dental insurance among blacks from financially-challenged households
• To investigate how wearing of grills and gold caps, as well as the installation of permanent gold teeth among blacks with low socioeconomic status as an option to traditional dental care accelerates or offsets periodontitis disease
• To determine the effect wearing grillz, gold caps and permanent teeth on the development of periodontitis

Oral health is an essential element of improving the health status of individuals yet it is one of the neglected areas. Due to racial disparities among blacks and whites, many blacks opt to use grills, gold caps and permanent gold teeth as a traditional alternative of upholding dental care (Como et al., 2019). On the contrary, other investigations demonstrate that the use of mouth adornments contribute to tooth and gum decay raising concerns regarding their efficiency. Therefore, the investigation seeks to address existing gaps regarding the use of mouth adornments and best practices to improve oral health among blacks.

• Low socioeconomic status of blacks affects their oral health status
• Low socioeconomic status does not have any effect on oral health of blacks

Section 2: Research Background and Significance

Problem Statement

As Newton et al. (2003) notes, various socioeconomic factors, such as gender, age, individual income as well as educational status influence the dental hygiene and status of individuals. Also, they affect oral health behavior of individuals in society. Low-socioeconomic status and minority populations in the United States with specific reference to New York City experience the problem of reduced awareness and high cost of maintaining their oral health (Patrick et al., 2006). In the process, these factors hurt their oral health practices eventually affecting their wellness in society. Furthermore, available research demonstrates that there are other critical factors influencing oral health of individuals. They include dietary lifestyle, the level of hygiene, and cultural perceptions regarding dental health-seeking behaviors (Naidu, Balkaran & Harracksingh, 2011). In this regard, healthcare professionals should find a way of addressing these challenges, aiming to improve the health status of blacks and other minority groups in the United States.

In the United States, there exists great oral health disparities among races and socioeconomic statuses. These disparities are particularly prevalent among non-Hispanic Blacks with low socioeconomic status (Patrick et al., 2006). This group has some of the poorest oral health in the United States (CDC). These disparities are often caused by having inadequate or no dental insurance.

Health disparities due to limited access to adequate dental care and lack of dental insurance coverage altogether among Blacks with low socioeconomic status has been detailed in much public health literature (Patrick et al., 2006). However, not much of the literature details the behavioral practices of those with limited or no health insurance. Specifically, it seeks to address the concern of their contribution towards oral health. The disease the study is interested in studying is periodontitis gum disease. Periodontitis is typically attributed to poor oral health and leads to tooth loss, as a result of rotting gums. However, the disease is a risk factor for heart and lung diseases (Patrick et al., 2006). Along with oral jewelry adornments, there are behavioral and genetic contributors to periodontitis, which include smoking, hormonal changes, diabetes, immune deficiency diseases, medications and genetic susceptibility. All of these variables must be kept in mind when conducting my research.

One aspect the study is interested in is analyzing how the use of grills and gold caps, as both mouth jewelry and as alternatives to traditional dental health care, effects these oral health disparities in the Black community (Patrick et al., 2006). For decades, the wearing of gold teeth in the form of caps and grills, has been a staple in many Black communities. This is huge practice among those 18-65 years of age. Gold caps are removable gold outlines of teeth placed on top of the tooth, or in place of the tooth. Gold caps are different from gold crowns, in that, crowns are a dental practice in which the metal is permanently fused to the tooth (Gold Crowns). Some without insurance in the Black community have used gold caps in the place of gold crowns as a means of preventing damage to already rotting teeth and gums (Frakt, 2018). However, grills, are a row of gold teeth molded to the mouth and worn over the teeth. They are similar to gold caps, but they are worn primarily for style. Grills are mostly popular among those between the ages of 18 and 35. Because grills stretch across multiple teeth, if they are not properly cared for, they will trap saliva and eventually bacteria. When this occurs, they can lead to the rapid deterioration of teeth and gums, contributing to the oral health disparities already present.

The effect of dental health in the black community in the United States has contributed to health disparities due to unequal access to oral care services and practices. Although some individuals wear grills and caps for style, they are poorly cleaned, leading to the potential problem of tooth and gum decay (Cruz, Chen, & Le Geros, 2009). A decayed tooth eventually leads to gum diseases, such as periodontitis and gingivitis. Others wear them as a traditional means of protecting their teeth and gums and the same case applies to permanent teeth replacement. In this regard, there is a research gap that involves the possibility of grillz and caps protecting preserving teeth and gums (Schrimshaw et al., 2011). Although it is a traditional alternative to dental care, its poor management can lead to potential health situations; thus, contributing to deteriorating health conditions.

Relationship between Grills and Tooth Cap on Periodontitis Disease

Although various studies indicate that grills and mouth caps, as well as permanent gold teeth serve as an alternative dental care, they have detrimental effect on deteriorating oral health in some cases. Some grills do not fit the teeth well and in the process, they may trap food and other debris between the teeth. The trapped foods allow bacteria to collect that produce acids responsible for tooth decay (Frakt, 2018). Also, they harm gum tissues eventually accelerating periodontitis disease. Additionally, grills require careful and highest levels of hygiene to avid tooth decay that would lead to teeth problems. Furthermore, some studies indicate that long-term use of grills could contribute to gum defects raising concern regarding their use in the contemporary society. However, some studies approve the use of grills as an option of maintaining dental care as a result the high cost of dental insurance. Most blacks and minority groups in the United States do not have equal access to oral health (Fischer, O'Hayre & Kusiak et al., 2017). As a result, they opt to use grills to maintain their dental health. Therefore, individuals wear them intermittently to contain dental problems common in blacks. Therefore, effectiveness of grills and tooth caps and its relationship with periodontitis disease depend on the levels of hygiene and the duration of use.

Effects of Developing Equality in Accessing Dental Insurance among Blacks from Financially-Challenged Households

Reducing health disparities in the United States is a primary goal for the public and private health sectors. Health professionals and various agencies are working towards improving the health status of all minority groups in the US (Feinberg, 2015). Although the government has put in place measures to contain the issue of racial disparity about oral health, it continues to exist (Patrick, Lee & Nucci et al., 2006). Consequently, it is critical to investigate causes of the disparities and propose appropriate measures that would improve the health status of all people. However, noting that determinants of oral health are complex since they involve behavioral, cultural, social and economic elements.

Reducing the cost of dental healthcare has yielded some significant progress in the dental sector but it has not achieved equality. Although the United States has made some progress in lowering the cost of dental health through programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, low-income earning households continue to experience inadequate accessibility to dental health because many dentists refused to participate in these programs (Patrick et al., 2006). Medicaid utilization increased significantly among children before they become adults. For example, in 1977, the rate of children utilizing Medicaid was 35% and this was only 10% higher than individuals without Medicaid (Patrick et al., 2006). However, the population was still below the national average, suggesting that many people cannot access quality dental care services.

Furthermore, dental health problems among adults are cumulative as they are in childhood. According to the U.S Census Bureau, there were only 35 million people individuals aged above 65. Oral conditions and problems affect economically disadvantaged individuals (Patrick et al., 2006). Due to the lack of dental health insurance and a majority of victims come from racial and ethnic minorities. The same survey illustrates that about 30% of adults aged above 65 years do not have natural teeth and the condition affects food intake as well as nutrition (Patrick et al., 2006). The state of dental health differs among populations based on their socioeconomic statuses. Therefore, dental health is a significant problem in the United States with specific reference to New York City.

Effects Wearing Grillz, Gold Caps and Permanent Teeth on the Development of Periodontitis

Grills and caps have significant effects on the dental health of blacks in the US. Some studies found out that they contribute to general tooth and gum decay; thus, accelerating dental health disparities among blacks in New York. Hollowell & Childers (2007) investigated a case of a 16-year-old African-American and found out that there was a rampant anterior decay of the tooth. Through clinical diagnosis, the study found out that the individual did not have any tooth decay prior to wearing grills and caps (Hollowell & Childers, 2007). Based on the findings, it is evident that wearing grills contributes to tooth decay although some blacks use it as a traditional alternative to dental care.

Reza et al. (2016) found out that children immigrants experienced poor dental health conditions compared with Natives. For example, in Edmonton, African immigrant children represented 65% of all untreated tooth decay cases compared to the whites and Canadian-born c...