Assessment of Traumatic Injury Awareness in School Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of traumatic dental injuries to children’s teeth is high. It is known that majority of dental injuries is seen in children between ages of 8 and 11 years. The present study was conducted to assess traumatic injury awareness in school teachers.

Materials & Methods: 140 school teachers of both genders were given a questionnaire which comprised of length of service, section in school and level of education, subjects’ knowledge with regard to dentition and dental trauma and the attitudes of the teachers towards dental trauma and their experience was recorded.

Results: Out of 140 teachers, males were 80 and females were 60.0-10 years experience was present in 45, 10-20 years in 70 and >20 years in 25. Education was diploma in 30, degree in 50 and postgraduate in 60. Section was primary in 62, high in 44 and secondary in 34. The most commonly involved teeth in traumawas upper incisors in 65%, lower incisors in 25% and upper back in 10%. Most commonly avulsed teethwas upper front in 50%, lower incisors in 30% and don’t knowin 20%. Knowledge about management was replaced immediately in 45%, replacing tooth back to socket in 40% and taken to the dentist to reimplant in 15%. Knowledge about washing medium was rinse with saline in 28%, rinse with antiseptic in 32% and in socket with saliva in 40%. The difference was significant (P< 0.05).

Conclusion: Most of teachers had sufficient knowledge regarding traumatic tooth injuries. Most of them knew that most commonly involved traumatic teeth and avulsed teeth was upper incisors.