FIRST AID KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF TRAUMATIC DENTAL INJURIESMANAGEMENT IN CHILDREN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS AMONG THESCHOOL STAFF IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

Background: One of the most serious dental public health concerns affecting children is traumatized
dental injuries (TDIs), which are frequently occurring in the general population. In order to effectively
manage it, dental practitioners need to increase awareness of it. Aim: This cross-sectional study
aimed to assess elementary school staff members' attitudes and levels of knowledge on the first-aid
management of children's traumatic dental injuries in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study
of self-administered questionnaire consisted of; demographic data, self-assessment, knowledge and
attitude, were collected from elementary school staff members from all five regions (The eastern,
western, northern, southern and central). Result: As regard the participants’ knowledge towards
traumatic dental injuries management in children, a vast majority, 86.3%, acknowledge the critical role
of time in saving a tooth. Furthermore, the majority view dental trauma management as an emergency
(77.3%). The role of teachers in saving a tooth during school dental injuries is considered important by
81.6% of respondents. Additionally, 75.4% advocate for teacher involvement to ensure timely
assistance. The data also addresses the issue of mandating mouth guards in outdoor sports, with 61.5%
in favor of compulsion. A substantial majority (83.9%) support the idea of providing training in dental
trauma management. Regarding attitude of participants towards traumatic dental injuries management
in children, varied responses and perceptions have been revealed. The preference for pediatric dentists
in such situations was clear, along with the importance of seeking professional help promptly after tooth
loss. Storage methods for fallen teeth also varied, with a leaning towards saline solution and milk. The
study also revealed that the belief that managing the tooth injuries by the teachers is a moral
responsibility has statistically significant relation to education (p value=0.002), receiving first aidraining (p value=0.0001), and if the teacher witnessed a child fell over and got tooth injury (p
value=0.002). It also shows statistically insignificant relation to gender, age, region of residence,
nationality, workplace, position, and working experience. Conclusion: The findings revealed a
significant gap in teachers’ preparedness to handle dental trauma emergencies, with a majority
acknowledging the critical role of timely intervention, supporting the inclusion of tooth injury
management in teacher training, and recognizing the necessity for teacher involvement in ensuring
timely assistance. Varied responses and perceptions were observed regarding the type of teeth damaged,
appropriate actions to take, and storage methods for fallen teeth, emphasizing the need for
comprehensive education and training programs.