Estado auditivo de los estudiantes de clínica integral de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Cuenca, agosto 2022-febrero 2023

Abstract

Background: Auditory conditions due to prolonged exposure to loud noise generated by equipment used daily in the dental field may cause a variety of problems in the auditory system of professionals, altering the physiology of the ear and affecting their quality of life. General Objective: To know the hearing status of the students of the Faculty of Odontology of the University of Cuenca, who are taking or have taken the subject of Comprehensive Clinic, during the period August 2022, February 2023. Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study of 73 odontology students. The noise level in the odonatological laboratory was measured using a sound level meter. Demographic data and audiometry results were recorded in a variable tab. The SPSS v25.0 program allowed data analysis and presentation of results. Results: The average noise level in the laboratory was 91,6 dB. Of the 73 odontological students, 65,8% were women. All reside in the urban area (Cuenca) and present normal otoscopy. Her age is 21-23 (79,5%) years old. Audiometry revealed that 84.9% had normal hearing, 13,7% mild unilateral conductive hearing loss on the right and 1,4% moderate unilateral sensorineural hearing loss on the right. Conclusion: Most of the participants did not experience hearing problems, however, the presence of an auditory diagnosis related to this risk factor was reported, where the evidence mentions that prolonged exposure to loud noise may become a problem in the future.