Knowledge of Saudi parents toward the emergency management of avulsed permanent teeth: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Introduction: Traumatic dentoalveolar injuries are frequent in children, affecting teeth, their supporting structures, and adjacent soft tissues. Parents are among the first people to deal with tooth avulsion among children at home or at play. This study, therefore, aimed to examine parental knowledge and attitudes about avulsed permanent teeth and their emergency treatment in children. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 274 parents of children receiving care at KKU College of Dentistry, Abha. Informed consent was obtained after explaining the nature of the study and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered in MS Excel Sheet, and descriptive statistics were obtained. Results: Sixty-one percent of the parents reported dental trauma at home or school. 67.2% were not aware of the steps to be taken in tooth avulsion. The percentage for the source of information for avulsed tooth was a dentist (38.8%) and the internet (34.5%). 73.8% were unaware of the fact that permanent avulsed tooth can be replanted. 56.3% parents said that they would discard the knocked out tooth. Regarding knowledge about traumatic dental injuries 43.9% said it is imperative to know about it. Conclusion: This survey reflected the lack of awareness and adequate knowledge regarding the avulsed tooth. There is an imperative need for educating the parents regarding management of avulsed tooth permanent tooth.