A qualitative study of the meaning of oral health and self-care for 40 Dunedin residents living on lower incomes.

Background and objectives: This project extends studies of oral health cultures for lower income families by identifying the participants' meaning of oral health self-care, barriers to its attainment, and suggestions for its improvement.

Methods: Forty open-ended interviews were conducted with Dunedin residents purposively selected from a variety of ages, backgrounds and ethnicities. Transcribed interviews were analysed thematically.

Results: Five key themes emerged: (1) oral health understandings for self and wider family groups; (2) the complexity of understanding cost in relation to oral self-care; (3) oral self-care tools and daily oral health routines; (4) relationships with oral health workers and the meaning of good and bad care provision; and (5) the State's involvement in oral health.

Conclusions: Participants valued good oral health and were knowledgeable about it, but cost was the primary barrier to care.