Knowledge on pre-hospital emergency management of tooth avulsion among primary school teachers from Eastern Croatia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13112/pc.967Keywords:
Tooth Avulsion, Elementary School Teachers, CroatiaAbstract
Objective and aim: Tooth avulsions in children are a significant oral health issue. Deciduous and permanent anterior teeth are not only important for aesthetic reasons but are also necessary for phonetics, mastication integrity of supporting tissues, and the psychological and mental well-being of children. A schoolteacher’s initial management of tooth avulsions is crucial to the injured tooth’s long-term prognosis. Previous studies have suggested that teachers lack the necessary knowledge to manage tooth avulsions appropriately. The aim of the study was to determine the knowledge of primary school teachers (PSTs) from Eastern Croatia about the pre-hospital emergency management response to the tooth avulsions.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 370 PSTs (mean age 39.5±10.6; 96% women; mean service length 14.8±11.1 years). The questionnaire contained 10 closed-ended questions with two to eleven possible answers. Statistical significance was determined using a chi-square test.
Results: The majority of participants had never received any information on the management of a knocked-out tooth. Questions about the domain of tooth injuries, a knocked-out tooth, tooth replantation, and whether the knocked-out tooth should be placed back were answered confirmatively by 23.78%, 89.19%, 60.54% and 69.46% of participants, respectively. The questionnaire showed that 13.78% of participants were aware that replantation should be performed within 30 min. The appropriate cleaning and transport medium was chosen by 39.19% and 23.78% of participants, respectively. A nearby dentist would be visited by 61.89% of participants.
Conclusion: The current study confirmed that PSTs lack the knowledge for immediate response to tooth avulsions, leaving small chances for a successful prognosis of tooth replantation.
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