The Bronfenbrenner-Morris ecological model as a theoretical framework to explain the factors that influence tooth brushing

Abstract

The Bronfenbrenner-Morris ecological model allows to analyse factors that influence the behaviour of individuals. The ecology of human development includes the study of the progressive mutual accommodation between the active human being, and the changing properties of the immediate environments in which the person lives. This model allows to analyse the variables involved in dental brushing as a preventive attitude of oral diseases. Figure 1 shows the subsystems defined in the model, with the elements that integrate it. a) Microsystem, some examples of this are: family habits such as the routine of brushing to promote well-being, or a healthy diet; acceptance or rejection (bad breath) of the group of friends; socioeconomic level that allows access to routine consultations in the dentist, or access to cleaning assistants; level of schooling that allows us to have more knowledge or not about the subject. b) Mesosystem that includes aspects such as oral health campaigns that are carried out in the population, as well as auxiliaries that are available in the environment. c) Exosystemic, as an example, is the bombardment that exists in the media, mainly in social networks, which includes information that is not always true about habits such as brushing or disinformation by means that do not have real data. d) Macrosystem, includes cultural values in which the myths about tooth brushing (e.g., tooth enamel wears out) are considered, as well as the unproven causes of tooth loss (e.g., tooth loss. loss of teeth for each child), which have their real foundation in cavities or periodontal disease, which are preventable with a simple proper dental brushing. e) Crono System and Globo System these levels include fashion or practices according to the global trend regarding tooth brushing. It should be noted that these knives are often not always considered as part of a strategy, which facilitates the implementation of simple habits, such as dental brushing in the daily routine of personal care.