Investigação das crenças sobre o clareamento dentário entre os alunos e graduados em odontologia

Abstract

The practice of tooth whitening is still linked to some beliefs spread commercially and popularly, which are not always scientifically based. In view of this, this study aims to verify the degree of information of dentistry students and dentists and compare them. The inquiries involve subjects about supervised and in-office bleaching treatment through the application of a remote questionnaire containing related questions: the use of LED, performance of a white diet, need for reservoirs in the bleaching tray, use of anti-inflammatory drugs, use of bleaching agents "over the counter", the possibility of performing whitening in patients who are still undergoing orthodontic treatment, the time interval indicated between whitening appointments and in relation to the waiting time for replacement of restorations after the end of treatment. The questionnaire was answered by 29 academics regularly enrolled in a dentistry course (AC) in Brazil and 39 dentists with active enrollment at the Conselho Federal de Odontologia (CD), where they are not assigned to a specific region or institution. in Excel spreadsheets for further descriptive analysis and statistical treatment o and comparison between the two groups (AC and CD) through the application of the t test (α = 0.05). For most of the questions, similar answers were obtained between the two groups, except for the questions regarding the time interval indicated between in-office whitening appointments (p < 0.01); regarding the use of anti-inflammatory drugs prior to this procedure in order to reduce postoperative sensitivity (p < 0.01); and in relation to the waiting time for replacement of restorations after completion of treatment (p < 0.01). In addition, the research also showed that many "myths" preached about tooth whitening are still widespread, such as the impossibility of whitening the teeth of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment and the need for a white diet during treatment, beliefs which should be demystified for the realization of an evidence-based dentistry.