This tutorial has been designed for nurses, midwives and health care workers who are in a position to identify oral health problems and to implement preventative care. Nurses can have a real impact on the oral health of the population, particularly through education, oral health screening and oral health promotion. The impact of oral disease on people’s everyday lives is subtle and pervasive, influencing eating, sleep, work and social roles. The prevalence and recurrences of these impacts constitutes a silent epidemic. Oral mucosal integrity is as important as skin integrity in protecting the body against infection.