A influência dos métodos de orientação de higiene oral do Projeto Formando Sorrisos na manutenção da saúde bucal dos estudantes da UFRN: um estudo piloto

Abstract

The present study aims to verify the effectiveness of individual oral hygiene guidance in the patients of “Formando Sorrisos” project’s from UFRN, when compared to collective guidance methods. This is a prospective study, conducted from a sample of students classified as socioeconomically vulnerable according to the PROAE criteria, at the Department of Dentistry of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Initial and final percentages of the following indices were evaluated in the patients' medical records: Visible Plaque Index (VPI), Evidenced Plaque Index (EPI), Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) and Probing Bleeding Index (PBI). The patients were divided into two groups, one that received individual guidance and the other of a collective nature. The analyzed data were compared to verify the percentage of evolution of patients in each group, noting which method of guidance is most effective. The analyzes carried out point to the collective hygiene methods as possibly more effective, since they presented greater percentage reductions in most of the indices (VPI, reduction of 57.3%, ISG, reduction of 36.2% and ISS, reduction of 19.5 %) than individual methods (EPI, reduction of 33.9%). Given the analyzes, there was a reduction in the final indices of all groups, strengthening the idea that continuing education in oral health is essential for maintaining health, regardless of individual or collective nature. However, the heterogeneity of the groups, associated with the low number of patients reached, limit the results of this research. Thus, more studies of this nature need to be carried out to achieve a more conclusive and definitive result.