A research project to understand the links between oral health and mental health
Lived Experience Australia is a strong advocate for improving physical health care for people with mental health challenges. Yet, oral health is often overlooked as an important health issue, and support for oral health care is also not funded through Medicare in the same way as many other physical health conditions, despite its importance to good mental and physical health.
Oral health has important connections to overall health and wellbeing. It impacts health-related quality of life and is implicated in the development of several physical health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
It also plays a central role in everyday psychosocial aspects of our lives given so much of how we connect with others is through the words and gestures that our faces (including our mouths and teeth) express to others. The relationship between oral health and mental health is bi-directional; challenges and strengths in one can impact the other and vice versa. This is because self-esteem, social interaction, stigma and other processes have significant implications for both oral health and mental health.
Lived Experience Australia (LEA) commenced this research project to better understand oral health and mental health, the interconnections and the experiences of consumers, families, carers and kin.
A lived experience co-design group was established to identify the questions to include within the survey and support synthesis of results and identification of key themes. Co-design group members included consumers, carers, families and kin with lived -living experience of oral health and mental health concerns. Two separate surveys were created, one specifically for people with personal lived experience (consumers) and one for families, carers and kin (carers).
Approved by Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee (No.7595)
“I don’t smile in photos or in public anymore. I often talk with my hand across my mouth or with my head down.”
Consumer
‘To Sarah’ who was the inspiration for this project.
Sarah’s courage and advocacy is where the idea for this project began.
A word of gratitude to our wonderful contributors
We would like to acknowledge and thank the Lived-Living Experience Working Group who supported the survey design and synthesis of findings:
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Lana Earle-Bandaralage
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Rachael Hill
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Paul Justice
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Janet Milford
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Christine Nanson
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Sarah Reed
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Alice Tudehope
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Rachel Turner
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Sharon Lawn
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Christine Kaine
We also thank the 234 consumers, carers, families and kin for their brave sharing of in-depth personal experiences to help us better understand the links between oral health and mental health. Unfortunately we couldn’t include all of the comments in this report, however we hope that you can see your valuable input reflected in our findings.
Webinar
Join us on Monday 5th May 2025 for a webinar with the lived-living experience researchers and co-design group members to hear about how we co-designed the research, insights learned and how oral health services can be improved.
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Monday 5th May 2025
12.30pm ACT, VIC, NSW, QLD, TAS
12.00pm SA, NT
10.30am WA
“I don’t think all dentists recognise the impact of traumatic treatment.
I avoided dentists for many years after a dental procedure that caused me a lot of ongoing complications. I finally have dentist that I can discuss my oral and mental health with.”
Consumer
“Cost has been a huge barrier. Due to no dental care until an adult, then a bad experience with a public dentist, it took years to get them to be ok with going to the dentist again"
Carer
67%
Delayed treatment due to cost
57% of consumers said anxiety prevented them from visiting the dentist
47% avoided dentists due to past trauma
30% avoided dentists due to self-stigma and shame
50%
30% of consumers reported experiencing stigma or discrimination from dental staff
Felt oral health concerns were not
taken seriously by dental staff
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40%
Put up with pain when specialist dental treatment was unaffordable
40% put up with the pain
34% had a tooth pulled instead
42% did nothing
98%
95% of carers also be oral health should be given the same priority as other health areas given that oral health is not included in Medicare.
of consumers believe oral health should be given the same priority as other health areas
Recommendations
How can oral health services be improved?
1. Policy and Systemic Changes
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Incorporate dental care into Medicare to improve accessibility and affordability.
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Increase funding for public dental services to reduce wait times and improve preventative care access.
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Develop integrated referral pathways between mental health and oral health services.
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Provide financial assistance or subsidies for vulnerable populations, including those on disability support pensions.
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Develop financial assistance programs to cover essential dental care for low-income individuals.
2. Training and Awareness
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Improve mental health training for dental professionals and staff to support trauma- informed, non-judgmental care.
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Enhance oral health education among mental health professionals to improve awareness of medication side effects and encourage preventive care.
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Create consumer-friendly resources about oral health and self-care strategies.
3. Improving Trauma-Informed Dental Care
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Establish “mental health-safe” dental clinics where staff are trained in trauma-informed care.
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Promote patient-centred communication to all staff in dental clinics that avoids stigma and judgment about oral health conditions.
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Offer flexible appointment options to accommodate individuals with anxiety and trauma histories.
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Encourage collaboration between mental health peer support workers and oral health services to provide emotional and practical support for consumers attending dental appointments.
“I have enough trouble being perceived as it is. When I think about my oral health, my mental health takes a dive”
Consumer
“They offer a plan for both of us, but if you are on the breadline each week the plan doesn’t help. The cost for dental services are way too high.”
Carer