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ePaper created 2018-04-25, 10:58:32 | version 1.38.0
| science of prophylaxis point. When one considers inflammation and ways of preventing it from a holistic perspective, the solution lies in avoiding stress, sleeping well, and ensuring good oral health and quality of life. ing stress through various relaxation methods. There is a proven link between stress and inflammation, and I am interested in holistic ways to reduce it. My work here has greatly changed my way of experiencing life, as well as my way of communicating. Do you think that has something to do with Sunstar being a Japanese company? Japanese culture definitely has an impact on what we do. Many companies in Japan are very specialised and pursue nothing less than perfection. That of course is something that we strive for as well. Apart from that, Sunstar is a product of our chairman and CEO’s vision. Their business decisions are informed by their collabora- tion with people from all over the world and being open to seeing things from different perspectives. One could say that they are holistic thinkers themselves. Have you incorporated Sunstar’s 360° approach to health into your personal life? Oh yes, very much so. And to be honest, I feel ex- tremely thankful. It was only after starting my job at Sunstar that I heard about the connection between oral and general health, and I have noticed, in talking to friends, that I have become very evangelical about the subject myself! Personally, I have started to think about things I had never considered before, such as the possible role of mindfulness in enhancing mental health and reduc- Finally, what are your wishes and recommendations for dental professionals? My greatest wish is for dental professionals to spend a little bit more time in talking to their patients. A good oral health routine, including using interdental brushes and going to the dentist at regular intervals, is the gateway to good general health. Dentists have a tremendous op- portunity in passing on this knowledge to their patients. If they would take an extra five minutes to do that, we would see an overall improvement in quality of life. Of course, it would also help if governments will include oral health and care in their agenda and prioritise it. As polit- ical changes are driven by people, we need to support oral care and health professionals in educating their patients. The Perio Link Award demonstrates that the supporting research is there and that the data is excellent. These are no fairy tales. We need to make people aware and empower them. Thank you very much for the interview. 12 prevention 1 2018 © Jepsen S, Sanz M, Stadlinger B, Terheyden H. Cell-to-Cell Communication: Oral Health and General Health— The Links between Periodontitis, Atherosclerosis, and Diabetes. Quintessence Publishing Group, Berlin, 2015.