title: A salutogenic patient-centred perspective of improved oral health behaviour - a descriptive phenomenological interview study.
abstract: A salutogenic perspective was applied in the study when investigating the patient's perspective of what it means to move in the direction towards health in the treatment of periodontitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed at describing the lived experience of improved oral health-related behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  The descriptive phenomenological method was chosen for collection and analysis of data. Patients were selected from a private general dental clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results described the patient-centred perspective in the general structure held together by eight constituents: (i) change is increased successively, (ii) a changed view on self-care at the start of change, (iii) improved self-care includes understanding and automatic routine, (iv) motivating challenges and feedback are perceived as strengthening, (v) having good thoughts and being satisfied with one's own capacity, (vi) experiencing trust and participation along with an expert, (vii) negative experiences and limitations precedes the change and (viii) relating yourself to past time, present time, future and other people.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The complex pattern of interconnected external and internal components in the results calls for the need of a holistic perspective of the change process and for the clinician to practise flexibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Public Health, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: G-B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Östergård
authors.affiliation: Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Englander
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Public Health, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Axtelius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health; D012648:Self Care; D035502:Trust
keywords: health promotion; oral health behaviour; patient's perspective; phenomenology; psychology; qualitative methods