Department of Preventive Dentistry had been opened since the establishment of University Hospital, and it was renamed as “Department of Oral Health” in August 2013. We see patients to maintain and promote their oral health; we check the gum condition and risks for caries, and then instruct methods to remove dental plaque and develop healthy eating habits. We also offer consultations on occlusion or oral mucosal diseases for patients who visit our department regularly, and introduce them to a department specializing in these fields. Furthermore, Department of Oral Health (ex-preventive dentistry) has been engaged in dental public health. As one of its roles, we provide medical care services such as dental check-ups for expectant and nursing mothers or examinations of dental caries and periodontal diseases for specific aged persons; 30, 35, 40, 50, etc. In addition, we provide dental check-ups to concerned persons upon request from ”Hikari Kyoukai”, an incorporated association established to relieve sufferers from the occurrence of arsenic poisoning caused by Morinaga Milk in 1955. We also recommend awards recipients for “8020”, promoting not only dental health care but healthy life care for the elderly in Japan as well as encouraging Japanese people to keep 20 or more teeth of their own until the age of 80. 

Recently, we conduct oral health management for patients having a serious medical disease or taking medicine in collaboration with an oral care team in Hiroshima University Hospital. We also put efforts in the maintenance and enhancement of oral functions: we perform salivary gland massage to increase salivary flow for patients with dry mouth, and instruct supraglottic swallow (swallowing without breathing), rinsing in the closed mouth or tongue exercises to strengthen the muscles around the oral cavity for those with difficulty in swallowing.