A lens on salutogenic concepts as resources for oral health among adults: a scoping review

Background To effectively address the global burden of oral health disease, a broader and more sustainable approach focusing of health factors is suggested. The salutogenic approach, which emphasizes psychosocial health resources, offers a promising framework for health promotion. However, there is currently a lack of synthesized evidence on how salutogenic concepts are applied in adult oral health. This scoping review therefore aims to identify and map the existing scientific research on the use of salutogenic concepts as oral health resources among adults. Methods This scoping view followed established guidelines. A systematic search was conducted across four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and CINAHL) using a search string strategy based on three key elements: Population (adults aged 18–59), Concept (salutogenic concepts), and Context (oral health). The outcomes of interest included dental caries, periodontitis, and self-reported oral health. A total of 2,503 articles were identified and screened for eligibility, followed by data extraction from the relevant studies. Results A total of 28 studies were included in the review, most of which were cross-sectional and published between 1996 and 2025. The studies were conducted across multiple regions worldwide. Based on the salutogenic umbrella framework, 12 key concepts were identified: self-efficacy, sense of coherence, social capital, coping, locus of control, social support, optimism, emotional intelligence, motivation, positive emotionality, resilience, and well-being. These studies varied in how these concepts were defined, the instruments used, the populations studied, and the settings in which the research was conducted. Conclusions There is a growing research interest in applying salutogenic approaches to adult oral health, although concentrated on a few salutogenic constructs and inconsistent in measurement. The findings highlight the relevance of salutogenic concepts for oral health promotion research. Future research using well-defined concepts and robust methodological designs is needed to strengthen the evidence base.