[Smoking cessation counselling and dental team].

The aim of this paper was to present specific strategies to guide dental professionals providing smoking cessation interventions. Original papers, reviews and current guidelines on this subject, published in English from 2001 to the first semester of 2005, were located in the MEDLINE/Pubmed database. Additional publications were obtained by searching the reference lists of retrieved studies. The "Five A's" strategic approach represents a brief and effective protocol for smoking cessation that members of dental team can use with all patients in their office practice. Intensive interventions, more effective than brief ones, can be further adopted with any smokers willing to make a quit attempt. All patients attempting to quit should also be encouraged to use the approved pharmacotherapy agents, including nicotine patch, nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler, nicotine nasal spray, and bupropion sustained released. These medications significantly increase success rates and offer valuable assistance in the reduction of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The evidence presented supports the efficacy of smoking cessation counselling by oral health professionals. Dentists and dental hygienists, therefore, should be trained on smoking cessation counselling and dental offices should incorporate this service into routine patient care.