Louise Folker Christensen, PhD
Doctoral Fellow at Copenhagen Centre for Health Research in the Humanities and the Department of Odontology
University of Copenhagen
This presentation introduces concept of tooth shame. Drawing on the blossoming research on shame and stigma concerning body, health, illness, ageing, and class, it explores the entanglements between dental issues and negative, self-aware experiences of shame among older persons who receive professional care within elderly care systems. It argues that that tooth shame creates a variety of choreographies and tooth shame practices—e.g., hiding smiles, withdrawal from social life, degrading oneself, avoiding daily dental care, and interaction with (dental) care workers.
The presentation takes its point of departure from ethnographic fieldwork in Danish elderly care, including semi-structured life-story interviews with older persons and relatives, focus group interviews with care workers, dental care workers, and dentists, and close observations at nursing homes, home care units, and a rehabilitation center in Danish municipal elderly care. It demonstrates that tooth shame and tooth shame practices disturb not only self-worth and social life, but also caring encounters by contaminating care workers and the general care practices, considerations, and dilemmas within elderly care systems. Thus, the presentation concludes that tooth shame bears the potential to create a damaging and life-limiting spiral accumulating in late life.
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Bioethics and Health Humanities Lecture, co-sponsored by the Center for Bioethics & Health Law
Catalog of Opportunities Event
Location and Address
Online