title: Integrated oral, mental and sexual health management for adolescents: a call for professional collaboration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Globally, young people account for 15.5% of the total global disability-adjusted life-years burden for all age groups. They face mental health, nutritional problems, accidental and intentional injuries, sexual and reproductive health problems, and substance abuse. These health challenges have effects on their oral health. This paper discusses the oral health problems adolescents face and suggests approaches for providing integrated oral and general health care for adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral health issues linked with adolescent health concerns include: malocclusion and esthetic concerns linked with mental health status; oral and maxillofacial injuries linked with accidental and intentional injuries; oral manifestations of sexually transmitted infections; oral leukoplakia and oral cancers linked with alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive substance abuse; and oral manifestations of anemia resulting from nutritional problems. Training oral health care providers on adolescent health and care could promote prompt diagnosis, management and prevention of complications associated with major health challenges affecting adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescent oral health care needs focused attention: as a possible route for early diagnosis and management of general health problems and for promoting adolescent oral health care. Oral health care should be integrated into adolescent friendly services and oral health care providers should learn how to handle adolescents' health needs.
authors: Paediatric Dental Working Group and Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Phone: +2347062920394.
authors: Morenike O
authors: MO
authors: Folayan
authors: Paediatric Dental Working Group and Department of Preventive Dentistry, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors: Abiola A
authors: AA
authors: Adeniyi
authors: Department of Child Dental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors: Elizabeth O
authors: EO
authors: Oziegbe
authors: Department of Community Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors: Adesegun O
authors: AO
authors: Fatusi
authors: Brown University, School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, International Health Institute, Providence, RI,USA.
authors: Abigail
authors: A
authors: Harrison
keywords: adolescents; health; oral health; sexual and reproductive