1Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sharavathi Dental College and Hospital, Shimoga, Karnataka, India
2Professor, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka, India
3Professor and Head, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka, India
4Reader, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sharavathi Dental College and Hospital, Shimoga, Karnataka, India
5Reader, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka, India
6Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka, India
The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge level of emergency measures for tooth avulsion among parents from Tumkur district.
A questionnaire in local language (Kannada) about first-aid knowledge in the fields of general body injury treatment principles, tooth avulsion and replantation principles, avulsed permanent/primary teeth, cleaning of an avulsed tooth before replantation, extra-alveolar time and storage media were prepared. For each category, a score ranging from 0 to 3 was awarded. The questionnaire was distributed to 400 parents to assess their first-aid knowledge.
Experience of first-aid information or training was seen in 8% except for dental injuries. 89% of the parents demonstrated knowledge about first-aid of minor body injuries. Knowledge about management of avulsed teeth was poor among parents. Only 12% parents had knowledge of how to manage an avulsed tooth in the specific modes of treatment measured.
Questionnaires are good for screening provided they are carefully designed. For this study, a standardized questionnaire was used to check the level of knowledge. Study has been recorded by using a scoring system for studying the level of knowledge for dental trauma as done by Andersson et al. This finding is in accordance with other studies of parental knowledge performed in Kuwait, Nigeria and Singapore.
Within the limitations of the study, First-aid knowledge in parents from Tumkur district is lacking for avulsion and replantation of teeth despite a high level of knowledge about management of simple body injuries. Knowledge of first-aid measures regarding avulsion and replantation of teeth should be increased by intervention programs.
Auvlsion, Replantation, Parents, Knowledge
