title: Ecology of oral health: a complexity perspective.
abstract: Health and disease are determined by many interwoven factors. Complexity theory may facilitate an understanding of oral health and disease by studying their complex interplay, and not focusing only on the importance of each individual factor involved. This introduces a theoretical basis for a dynamic, holistic approach to oral health with possible far-reaching consequences for dental education and diagnosis, prevention and treatment of oral diseases.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. heriksen@odont.uio.no
authors.forename: Harald M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
mesh_terms: D004463:Ecology; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009055:Mouth / Q000502:physiology; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D009909:Oral Health