"Oral cancer: assessment of the dentist´s knowledge as for risk factors and diagnosis procedures" / "Câncer de boca: avaliação do conhecimento dos cirurgiões dentistas quanto aos fatores de risco e procedimentos de diagnóstico"

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2003

RESUMO

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is assessing the knowledge of dentists who are registered at aesthetics courses as for predisposing and diagnosis factors of oral cancer, through a previously tested questionnaire. The development of odontological materials and techniques allied to a longing of a human being who is more and more in search of beauty, has taken an increasing number of patients to odontoligical consultation rooms. We consider this an opportune moment to inform the population and to do the early diagnosis of oral cancer. On what concerns the general characteristics of the 465 participants, there was a predominance of a young population, whose age was under 39 years, more female participation and almost 1/3 who had been graduated for 10 to 20 years. The clinical characteristics of this neoplasia occurrence are not clear for the persons interviewed, since only half of them have indicated the spinocellular carcinoma as the most common one and approximately half of them are aware of the lymph node characteristics in cervical metastasis. Around 20%, ignores the region of the mouth and the age group where this tumor occurs more frequently, and also its initial aspect. Notwithstanding, 75,7% recognizes the leucoplasia as the condition more frequently associated with oral cancer. On what concerns risk factors, the use of tobacco, family history and alcohol intake are clear for almost all the participants, but on what refers to the other conditions presented as risk factors, the doubts and contradictions are evident. On the clinical practice related to oral cancer, it is observed that 14,2% don’t do examinations for identifying buccal lesions, and among these ones, 80,3% don’t know how to do it. Only 5,8% does diagnosis procedures, and the great majority considers their knowledge in the area, regular or insufficient. Only 16,6% has enough confidence to do the diagnosis. In spite of being interested in doing courses in the future, more than half of them have not taken any upgrading course on oral cancer for more than 5 years. Concluding, the dentists still don’t present ideal knowledge and training to diffuse the means for prevention and early detection of mouth cancer.

ASSUNTO(S)

diagnostic procedures oral cancer neoplasias bucais diagnostico bucal

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