Description

Growing evidence of oral health and hygiene behaviors and periodontal disease in the disease pathway and survival benefits of early stage diagnosis of oral cancer warrants a better understanding of this relationship, if any. The purpose of this scoping review was to determine what is known, and identify gaps in knowledge about the relationship between oral health and hygiene behaviors on perceptions, knowledge, beliefs, or attitudes related to oral cancer among minority populations. We conducted an electronic database search in July 2022 using PUBMED, SCOPUS, and CINAHL, and reviewed corresponding gray literature. Authors developed a data collection form to systematically extract information from included articles on study population and setting, oral health behavior measures, oral cancer knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions measures, and general findings. This review identified 9 relevant studies conducted in the United States (66%), Australia (11%), United Arab Emirates (11%), United Kingdom (11%). In terms of measurement of behaviors, the articles in this review all focused on dental service utilization, with 89% measuring realized access to dental services, while 22% measured perceived access to these services. While all studies assessed participant knowledge of oral cancer risk factors, only 33% assessed awareness of oral cancer, and only 22% included measures of oral cancer-related attitudes. Additionally, all studies included, to some extent, racial/ethnic minority populations. However, only 44% focused exclusively on these populations. In terms of article quality evaluation, using Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology criteria, article ratings averaged 17.1 out of a possible 22 total points. The overall findings of these studies suggest low levels of oral cancer knowledge and awareness, and variable dental service utilization. In terms of oral cancer knowledge, attitudes, or perceptions, measurement approaches were heterogeneous, suggesting a need for consistent measures of these constructs. Study quality was similarly variable, but many of these largely cross-sectional studies lacked psychometrically sound instruments and sufficient methodological detail for replicability. Overall, these findings suggest the need for more rigorous study designs, measures, and inclusion of diverse populations to better understand the relationship between oral hygiene behaviors and oral cancer knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions.