Awareness of the Emergency Management of Dental Trauma in Children: A Comparison of Fathers and Mothers in Riyadh City

Background: Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are one of the most common causes of oral morbidity in children. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the knowledge of first aid measures for TDI, assess their attitudes and perceptions towards treatment. The study will also seek to compare these factors between fathers and mothers and evaluate the socio-economic and demographic factors that influence them.
Methodology: A total of 198 pairs of parents (198 fathers and 198 mothers) selected using a convenience sample in Riyadh City, were surveyed over a period of one month. A composite questionnaire based on combining two previously developed questionnaires, was translated into Arabic contained questions on personal information and the knowledge of the fathers and mothers about Emergency management of TDI. The total number of correct answers represented the total knowledge score of the parent. The t test was used to compare the mean scores between fathers and mothers, while linear regression models were developed to examine the effect of sociodemographic variables on the knowledge.
Results: The mothers had a slightly higher knowledge about the emergency management of dental traumatic injury, though these differences were not statistically significant. The overall awareness of the management of traumatic dental injuries was low among both parents. Education and gender of the parent were overall predictors of knowledge. When analysed separately education was directly related to knowledge in mothers but not in fathers.
Conclusion: The knowledge of traumatic dental injuries among parents in this sample was low, but fathers had a poorer knowledge when compared to mothers. Education was a significant factor in the knowledge of mothers but not fathers.

Author(s): Sharat Chandra Pani, Lubna A Alolaiwi, Lamia A AlRukban, Malk K Nashwan, and Sara S AlRuzeyg

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