Erosive tooth wear - knowledge and treatment preferences among dental hygienists.

OBJECTIVE

Erosive tooth wear (ETW) is generally recognized as a widespread condition and a rising concern within the oral healthcare system. This study aimed to investigate dental hygienists` experiences and treatment methods regarding ETW in young adults.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A questionnaire was sent to 1,084 Norwegian dental hygienists working in both public and private dental services. In total, 313 responded (response rate 28.9%). After excluding 47 respondents who did not meet the inclusion criteria of working with young adults (15-30 years), 266 dental hygienists were included in the final analyses (24.5% of those invited).

RESULTS

In total, 96% of the study population of 266 dental hygienists reported recording ETW in the register, with the public dental service doing so more frequently than the private sector. Sports drinks, energy drinks and soft drinks were believed to be the primary risk indicators of ETW, analogously across groups. Furthermore, there was consensus that the most frequently performed preventive measures were dietary guidance and self-administration of fluoride rinse and/or tablets.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study suggests that, in our sample, dental hygienists possess substantial knowledge of ETW and hold strong views on potential improvements in their work as healthcare professionals.