Low-level laser or LED photobiomodulation on oral mucositis in pediatric patients under high doses of methotrexate: prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy of photobiomodulation with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or light-emitting diode therapy (LEDT) devices for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in pediatric patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy with high doses of methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Eighty patients were randomly divided into two groups: LLLT and LEDT. Both protocols were applied with the same energy and radiant exposure. The protocols started in the beginning of high doses MTX and finished when the patients were discharged from the hospital or there was oral mucositis resolution. The oral mucositis was assessed during each session in accordance to the World Health Organization (WHO) score. The patients' self-assessed pain was scored on a visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: The incidence of oral mucositis was similar to LLLT and LEDT, 10% and 12.5%, respectively. Both groups required the same number of days to reach score of zero for mucositis and pain (p > 0. 05), and there was no significant difference in mean VAS between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that LEDT has similar effects to LLLT to avoid and treat oral mucositis. Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry with #U1111-1221-5943.

Effects of Dexamethasone and Photobiomodulation on Pain, Swelling, and Quality of Life After Buccal Fat Pad Removal: A Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: In this study we aimed to compare the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) and dexamethasone (DXM) on pain, swelling, and the quality-of-life (QOL) of patients submitted to buccal fat pad removal. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients with pseudoherniation of buccal fat pad were included in the present study. The patients were divided randomly into 2 groups: the PBM group (660 nm, 100 mW, 6 seconds, 2 J/cm2) and the DXM group (4 mg every 8 hours for 3 days after the procedure). Pain levels were evaluated using a visual analog scale at days 2 and 4 after surgery, whereas the edema was evaluated by measuring the distance between 6 reference points: tragus, pogonion of the soft tissue, lateral eye commissure, the gonial angle, nose wing, and mouth commissure at days 2, 4, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90. The QOL was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile 14 questionnaire at days 2 and 4 after surgery. RESULTS: There were no differences between the PBM and DXM groups in pain or edema. In terms of the QOL, the PBM group was significantly more comfortable when chewing than the DXM group (P < .05) CONCLUSION: The use of PBM at a power of 100 mW and 2 J/cm2 per point had similar effects to oral DXM for the control of pain and edema, as well as in the QOL, except for masticatory function, which was significantly better in the PBM group.

Efetividade de website de educação em saúde bucal para adolescentes / Effectiveness of an educational website on oral health for adolescents / La efectividad de website de educación en la salud bucal de adolescentes

Objetivo: Avaliar a efetividade de um website desenvolvido como ferramenta de educação em saúde bucal para adolescentes. Métodos: Estudo experimental realizado no município de Belém-PA, no período entre agosto e novembro de 2012, com amostra composta por 160 adolescentes na faixa etária de 11 a 15 anos, de escola pública e particular. Formaramse dois grupos, sendo um experimental com participação em atividade educativa e acesso a um website de informações sobre saúde bucal para adolescentes; e o controle com palestras contendo a mesma temática. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários autoadministrados e, depois da ação educativa, foram verificados a partir de Teste Quiquadrado, Análise de Variância e Teste de Tukey. Resultados: Observou-se que os escolares, de ambos os grupos, após as atividades educativas, obtiveram um bom conhecimento acerca das questões sobre cárie e etiologia do câncer bucal, tendo os escolares do grupo experimental apresentado melhor desempenho sobre esses temas. A maioria (n=122; 76,25%) dos escolares participantes da pesquisa nunca havia realizado o autoexame bucal e não possuía conhecimento adequado sobre doença periodontal. Conclusão: Os dois métodos educativos fizeram com que houvesse uma mudança nos conhecimentos adquiridos pelos adolescentes, o que se reflete na quantidade de respostas acertadas por eles. Porém, como pode ser constatado, o grupo experimental obteve melhor desempenho após o acesso ao website, mostrando sua real efetividade.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a website developed as an educational tool on oral health for adolescents. Methods: Experimental study developed in the city of Belem, Para, in the period between August and November 2012, with sample consisting of 160 adolescents ranging from 11 to 15 years old, attending public or private schools. Two groups were formed, the intervention one, with participation in educational activity and access to a website with information on oral health for adolescents; and the control group, with talks on the same topic. Data was collected using two self-administered questionnaires and, after the educational intervention, were assessed using Chi-square test, Analysis of Variance and Tukey?s test. Results: After the educational activities, students from both groups presented good knowledge about issues related to dental caries and etiology of oral cancer, having the experimental group presented a better performance on these topics. Most of the students (n=122; 76.25%) participants in this survey had never held the oral self-examination and did not have adequate knowledge about periodontal disease. Conclusion: Both educational method led to a change in the knowledge acquired by the adolescents, which was reflected in the number of correct answers they gave. As it can be seen, however, the intervention group attained better performance after access to the website, showing its effectiveness.

Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de un website desarrollado como herramienta de educación en salud bucal de adolescentes. Métodos: Estudio experimental realizado en el municipio de Belém-PA, entre agosto y noviembre de 2012, con una muestra de 160 adolescentes entre los 11 y 15 años, de escuela pública y privada. Dos grupos, siendo uno experimental con participación en actividad educativa y acceso a um website de informaciones sobre la salud bucal de adolescentes; y el grupo control com ponencias de la misma temática. Fueron recogidos datos a través de cuestionarios auto-administrados tras la acción educativa. Los mismos fueron analizados con la prueba del Chi-cuadrado, Análisis de la Varianza y la Prueba de Tukey. Resultados: Se observó que los escolares de ambos los grupos tenían un buen conocimiento sobre caries y etiología del cáncer bucal tras las actividades educativas, siendo el grupo experimental el que presento mejor desempeño sobre estos temas. La mayoría (n=122; 76,25%) de los escolares participantes de la investigación nunca habian realizado el autoexamen bucal y no tenían el conocimiento adecuado sobre enfermedad periodontal. Conclusión: Los dos métodos educativos generaron cambios en los conocimientos adquiridos de los adolescentes lo que se refleja en la cantidad de respuestas correctas de su parte. Sin embargo, como se pudo ver, el grupo experimental tuvo mejor desempeño tras el acceso al website, señalando su real efectividad.