2024 Volume 4
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Investigating Parental Approaches to Handling Dental Injuries in Children


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  1. Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dental Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy.
  2. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana, 84121 Salerno, Italy.
  3. Dentistry Unit, AORN Santobono-Pausilipon Pediatric Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy.
Abstract

Dental injuries are one of the most common oral health issues in children, significantly affecting their physical and emotional well-being. The role of parents in managing these injuries is crucial and their awareness of proper appropriate responses plays a vital role in determining the outcome. This study aimed to investigate the level of parental awareness and practice in dealing with dental injuries in children. In this descriptive cross-sectional research, a standardized questionnaire was distributed to parents, which included four main areas: demographic details, social background, emergency procedures for dental injuries, and preventive measures for trauma. The relationship between parental awareness and gender was examined using the T-test, while ANOVA was used to analyze how age, education level, and number of children affected the awareness scores. The mean awareness score among parents was 3.3 out of 13, with no significant differences observed between mothers and fathers. Similarly, age and number of children did not show significant correlations with awareness levels. However, there was a significant positive correlation between parents' educational background and their knowledge of dental injuries (P-value < 0.05). In addition, 48% of parents reported having no information about dental injuries, and 88% expressed a desire to gain knowledge about first aid for managing such injuries. The findings suggest that parental knowledge regarding dental injuries is insufficient, and improving educational programs for parents on managing traumatic dental events could lead to prompt, appropriate action, increased treatment outcomes, and reduced costs and patient complications.


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