Tooth erosion awareness in a Brazilian dental school

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess awareness and attitudes related to tooth erosion among dental students, patients, and faculty members in a Brazilian dental school. Data were collected by means of a self-applied questionnaire that was distributed among 298 participants. The response rate was 89.6 percent. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis (p<0.05). The majority of the participants had heard about erosion (72.9 percent), with lower percentages among the patients (p<0.001). In total, 74.9 percent believe that sugar can contribute to erosion (p=0.004). Almost 30 percent of the students did not know if they had had a patient with erosion, and 73.1 percent reported they were not advised by their clinical supervisor to examine their patients for tooth erosion (p=0.138). Concerning the faculty, 23.6 percent of them along with 61.5 percent of the students did not feel prepared to diagnose the condition (p<0.001). Reducing the consumption of acidic drinks was the practice most frequently mentioned as recommended to prevent erosion (89.6 percent). Knowledge about tooth erosion was not as widely evident as it should be in this sample, suggesting the need for better understanding and communication in this important area of oral health care.