Getting in the habit: Applying the science of habit to oral health

Oral health behaviours are, for many, strongly habitual, in that they are done automatically, with little or no thought. This session delves into the science behind ‘habits’, how they form, and how our habits determine our everyday behaviour.

The presentation will consider the roles that habit can play in oral health, and how an understanding of habit can help to identify strategies for increasing long-term engagement in actions that promote oral health.

After attending this session, attendees should be able to:

• Recognise the psychological processes that underlie ‘habitual’ behaviour
• Describe how new habits form, and how old habits are broken
• Distinguish between ‘habitual instigation’ and ‘habitual execution’ of behaviours
• Outline and apply techniques best suited to promoting the development of good oral health habits, and the disruption of bad habits