Application in the dental office of a practical method of clinical-behavioural treatment for smoking cessation: a case report

摘要

INTRODUCTION: Smoking causes harmful effects to the oral cavity, therefore dentists play an important role in helping their patients to quit. OBJECTIVE: In this article, we aimed to report the application of a practical method of clinicalbehavioural treatment for smoking cessation which was performed by a Dental Surgeon in a male patient who wanted to stop smoking. CASE DESCRIPTION: Behavioural support was based on the Standard Treatment Program (STP) recommended by an English institution specialized in preparing health professionals to promote smoking cessation. Drug support involved Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) by the combination of transdermal patches and chewing gums in different stages and dosages. The Fagerstr?m Test was used to assess the patient’s level of nicotine dependence. Abstinence was monitored by assessing the patient’s level of expired carbon monoxide using a monoximeter. Success in promoting patient’s abstinence was observed during 40 days of treatment and one year of follow-up. Conclusion: The STP behavioural support methodology combined with NRT proved to be quite feasible and promising to be used by dentists in order to treat smoking in the dental office.