Knowledge of the management of paediatric dental traumas by non‐dental professionals in emergency rooms in South Araucanía, Temuco, Chile

What is important to medical students' online learning of dental trauma in medical education

Traumatic dental injury (TDI), a topic not normally offered in the medical curriculum is made available through the medical school as an online learning course. Online learning provides an educational pathway for cross-disciplinary learning without any change to the existing curriculum. This research identified important key features that should be included in the design of an online course to provide a positive online learning experience for medical students. Ten important features were identified for medical educators to consider when they develop an online course to introduce dental trauma. These features are (1) prioritising information to TDI, (2) providing specific facts and information to TDI, (3) information must be easily retrieved, (4) providing career-related information, (5) promoting self-confidence, (6) promoting learning of new knowledge, (7) easy-to-understand content materials, (8) establishing a logical sequence of learning, (9) visual illustrations to complement written text and (10) promoting self-directed learning.

Pediatricians' Knowledge of Emergency Management of Dental Injuries and Use of Mouthguards: A Cross-Sectional Survey

AIM

Dental injuries are one of the most frequent oral health problems in children and adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate Croatian pediatricians' knowledge and practice regarding dental injuries management and the use of mouthguards as means of protection against traumatic injuries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey conducted among 186 pediatricians examined their demographic characteristics, knowledge and experience with dental injuries. Student t-test or one-way ANOVA, with Tukey's post-hoc were used to analyze obtained data (p ≤ 0.05).

RESULTS

The overall mean score of knowledge on the management of dental injuries was 3.6 ± 1.53 points. Male pediatricians (p = 0.016), those who witnessed dental injuries (p = 0.003), and those who had more than ten years of pediatric practice (p = 0.027) showed better knowledge. The results of multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated impact between pediatricians' knowledge in the emergency treatment of traumatic dental injuries concerning the level of health care (practice settings) (β = -0.254, p = 0.002) and the number of patients treated by a pediatrician per day (β = -0.187, p = 0.030).

CONCLUSION

Pediatricians have a low level of knowledge regarding the primary care of traumatic dental injuries. An additional course on dental injurie management should be recommended as part of the physician and pediatricians' educational training.

Knowledge and attitudes of emergency medicine physicians and nurses regarding emergency management of dentofacial trauma in pediatric patients

OBJECTIVES

Considering that the first visit for dentofacial trauma is generally in emergency departments, the awareness and knowledge of the emergency medicine staff regarding the treatment of dentofacial injuries is very important for the prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, education, and self-confidence levels of emergency medicine physicians and nurses concerning the diagnosis and treatment of dentofacial traumatic injuries in pediatric patients.

METHODS

This questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study included emergency medicine physicians and emergency medicine nurses. The survey contained questions and three sections on participants' general data, attitudes, basic knowledge, and confidence levels in managing dentofacial trauma.

RESULTS

A total of 407 participants (250 emergency medicine physicians and 157 emergency medicine nurses) were included in this study. There was a significant difference between the groups regarding the correct answers to the questions about trauma management and emergency management of crown fractures and avulsed permanent teeth (p <0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that there is a lack of information on dentofacial trauma for emergency medicine physicians and nurses. In order to increase knowledge in this area and to improve the diagnosis and management of dentofacial trauma, interdisciplinary seminars, case discussions, and continuing education programs should be held for emergency medicine staff.

Assessment of the knowledge and attitudes about the management of dental trauma among ear, nose and throat physicians

PURPOSE

Ear, nose and throat physicians (ENTp) encounter dental trauma (DT) when patients refer to the emergency department, as well as during operations such as tonsillectomy and suspension laryngoscopy. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and knowledge of ENTp about managing DT, and motivation for further education.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional observational survey on a sample of ENTp from 15 different private/public hospitals. A questionnaire of 22 questions was divided into three parts: the level of professional experience and the frequency of encountering DT; specific questions on the management of DT; self-assessment of educational approach and level of knowledge regarding DT.

RESULTS

A total of 128 surveys were accomplished and included in the evaluation. A larger percentage (96.9%) of the participants have experienced at least one case in the practice, and one-third (31.3%) have encountered more than ten DT cases. Although the duration of experience significantly affected the total number of correct responses to knowledge and attitudes regarding DT questions (p:0.028), more than half of the participants (44.38%) responded incorrectly to the questions. The majority of participants (97.7%) stated that they had no education on DT, and 90.6% were willing to receive DT training.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study emphasize the deficiency of ENTp' knowledge level about the management of DT. In addition, results demonstrated the enthusiasm of ENTp for further training, which can contribute to the requirement of education for providing appropriate management of DT cases.

A cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge among Chinese dentists regarding the treatment of traumatic injuries in primary teeth

BACKGROUND/AIM

Injuries to the primary dentition affect children's esthetics, function, and mental health. They may also affect the development of the permanent teeth. The knowledge of dentists about deciduous tooth trauma is rarely evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of dentists in China regarding traumatic dental injuries to primary teeth.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A self-administered online questionnaire containing questions on demographic data and knowledge based on a clinical scenario was given to a purposive sample of dentists, recruited by a non-probability convenience sampling method. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis, with the significance level set at P <.05.

RESULTS

A total of 394 out of 409 dentists provided valid data. There was no significant difference in demographic data. Questions about the treatment of hard dental tissue injuries in primary teeth presented a correct-response rate of 66.4%, with the highest correct-response rate for enamel fracture (n = 368, 93.4%) and lowest for complicated crown-root fracture with pulp exposure (n = 104, 26.4%). Questions about treatment of luxation injuries in primary teeth presented a correct-response rate of 66.6%, with subluxation presenting the highest correct-response rate (n = 391, 99.2%). Factors associated with higher correct-response rates were specialist disciplines, educational qualifications, workplaces, experience of injured teeth treated, and educational experience about primary tooth trauma. No significant differences were found in the correct-response rates of dentists with different years of work experience. Lack of cooperation from children was considered a major obstacle for treatment. Special lectures and Internet courses were the most preferred methods of obtaining knowledge.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that it is necessary to enhance dental trauma education for dentists in China. More attention needs to be paid to trauma in primary dentition to ensure adequate treatment for traumatized primary teeth.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Traumatic Dental Injuries among Saudi Dental Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

The aim of this multicenter cross-sectional study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of senior dental students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, regarding the management of traumatic dental injuries.

Materials and Methods

A stratified random sample of fourth- and fifth-year dental students in different dental schools was given a two-part questionnaire; the first part included demographic questions, while the second part included case scenario questions related to knowledge and attitudes regarding the emergency management of concussion, crown fractures, luxation injuries, root fracture, and alveolar bone fracture. Data were statistically analysed using chi-square and ordinal logistic regression tests. The significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 359 dental students participated in this study. The proportion of students from all dental schools with correct responses to each set of questions was as follows: alveolar bone fracture (78.4%), root fracture (70.1%), intrusive luxation (57.1%), complicated crown fracture (39.7%), uncomplicated crown fracture (35.5%), extrusive luxation (35%), concussion (31.1%), and lateral luxation (26.8%). The mean overall knowledge score of the participants was 3.421 ± 0.49. No statistically significant difference was found on any of the questions regarding the gender or year of study (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study, dental students' knowledge of the management of traumatic dental injuries in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia ranges from low to moderate. Thus, there is a need to improve the knowledge of management of traumatic dental injuries among dental students.

Best Splinting Methods in Case of Dental Injury-A Literature Review

The objective of this manuscript was to review the literature on dental trauma splints and discuss materials used for splinting injured teeth in terms of their properties and conditions that are required for optimal stabilization. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database with the keywords: "trauma splints", "dental trauma" and "traumatic dental injuries". The search was limited to English language publications. 42 publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were in accordance with the current recommendations. Optimal splinting of the teeth after trauma is one of the main predictors for pulpal and periodontal healing. The splints stabilize and protect the teeth, creating favorable conditions for the regeneration of the supporting tissues. Their application and removal should be easy and fast without any additional irritating of the surrounding tissues. The materials used to stabilize the injured teeth should keep the tooth in the original position, allowing for its physiological mobility.

Knowledge of General Dental Practitioners and Specialists about Emergency Management of Traumatic Dental Injuries in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Context. Studies about knowledge of emergency management of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) which affect children by general dental practitioners (GDPs) and specialists in Saudi Arabia are lacking.

A proposal to introduce dental trauma into medical education: An insight

THE PROBLEM

This proposal aims to tackle the common poor management of traumatic dental injury (TDI) by medical doctors and subsequent poor healthcare outcomes for patients. The literature reports that most medical doctors, in either private practice or hospital emergency departments, lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to adequately assess and manage victims of TDI. This is due to little or no clinical dentistry and dental trauma education being included in their medical studies.

THE GAP IN THE LITERATURE

From a review of the literature, there is a clear lack of learning provision for medical students on the topic of dental anatomy and trauma. In addition, there appears to be no formal university theoretical and clinical training during medical school.

THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The introduction of dental trauma into the medical curriculum will provide students with a better understanding of the importance of early management for better patient outcomes. Medical doctors competent in managing emergency dental trauma procedures will be able to provide a higher standard of care that could prevent potentially lifelong negative repercussions for the patient.

An Educational Initiative for Dubai School Nurses and Physical Education Teachers on the Management of Traumatic Dental Injuries

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of school nurses and physical education teachers (SN and PE teachers) about the emergency management of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) in schools and to measure the impact of education on their knowledge. A longitudinal prospective study based on a questionnaire survey completed by 68 SN and PE teachers at three time periods (prior to, immediately after, and 3 months-post-educational intervention). Pre- and post t-test and repeated measures (analysis of variance) were used to compare the three group means for the same participants (p < .05 was considered significant). Significant improvement in the knowledge score among participants was observed between the initial survey to immediately after the educational session and to 3 months after (p = .047). Significant improvement in the choice of immediately seeking attention after tooth avulsion was observed (p = .001). The initial knowledge deficiency about the emergency management of TDIs among SN and PE teachers was improved and sustained.

Knowledge and attitude of emergency physician about the emergency management of tooth avulsion

Background

The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge of ER physicians with different specialties, experience and hospital sectors for the management of avulsed teeth in the emergency rooms of eight major hospitals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It also covers their attitude towards receiving further education on tooth avulsion management.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the emergency rooms of eight hospitals in Jeddah from August to December 2015. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 31 multiple choice questions assessing both knowledge and attitude was distributed to 150 physicians who were working in the ER departments.

Results

Response rate was 81.33%. Data revealed that 45.9% of the respondents did not have prior knowledge about avulsion. Physicians working in military hospitals had better knowledge about the ER management of avulsion cases than physicians of public hospitals. 80.3% of participants showed willingness to replant the tooth, however, 65.3% would not do it by themselves. 42.6% of the physicians did not know the importance of extra-oral time. Milk was selected as the best transport media for avulsed tooth by 31.1% of the participants. Regarding physicians’ attitude, 95.1% showed interest in receiving information about the subject.

Conclusion

This study revealed that the majority of ER physicians lack the knowledge needed to manage avulsions cases. Hence, educational programs are necessary for ER physicians to provide proper management for those cases.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12903-018-0515-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

What general medicine students of University of Rijeka know about dental avulsion?

INTRODUCTION

Injuries of decidouos and premanent teeth can be rather hard, esspecially in combinatin if they involve adjacent supportive tissue. Among all injuries, the loss of the teeth is considered the most stressful for both a child and its parents. Tooth injury usually involves soft tissue damage, which means severe bleeding. As parents often look for help from their family general practitioners, it is very important that general practitioner is acquainted with the first aid in order to preserve the tooth and enable further skeletal development.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was carried out in the form of a questionnaire, which was distributed among general medical students at the Medical studies of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rijeka, Croatia. The study included 86 pre-doctoral students of the 3rd, 4th and 5th years of studies. The questionnaire consisted of 23 questions, which were related to demographics, personal experience in treating dental injuries, theoretical knowledge about dental injuries and their interest in additional training on the subject.

RESULTS

The results showed that only 32.6% of the students heard of 'tooth avulsion'. Replacement of the avulsed tooth in its original position in the jaw was considered by 77.6% of the students. In their entire education, 84.9% students didn't acquire any knowledge about dental injuries.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that medical students have very poor knowledge about dental injuries. Also, the vast majority of the students were neither informed nor educated about it during their studies.

Timely management of knocked out teeth - are the nurses aware?

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To assess working and trainee nurses' knowledge and awareness regarding the emergency handling of traumatic injuries to the teeth. The research was conducted in four different parts of Karnataka, a state in India.

BACKGROUND

Traumatic injuries to teeth and the facial region are common among children and young adults. Most traumatic dental injuries can be avoided, or would be less serious, if an extensive knowledge and awareness of these injuries existed, especially among people who frequently come across them.

DESIGN

The study is a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey conducted among nurses of Karnataka.

METHODS

The questionnaire was given to nurses in different parts of Karnataka, India. Six hundred and two nurses completed a 15-item questionnaire, assessing their knowledge and practices in the management of traumatic injuries to the teeth.

RESULTS

Most of the nurses knew that an avulsed tooth can be replaced in the socket and approximately 70% knew mouthguards and other protective measures are available. The nurses' knowledge was, however, inadequate given their exposure to emergency cases and this was borne out by the fact that the study subjects reported that they require still more adequate training in emergency handling of dental injuries.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals that nurses in the current study have less knowledge than expected. Sufficient training should be provided, not only to doctors and dentists in emergency departments, but also to paramedical technicians and nurses to ensure proper care and appropriate advice is available to parents of children experiencing dental trauma. Hence, this study recommends an extensive health education programme in this field.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

As nurses play a vital role in the emergency dental services provided to patients, the importance of dental injury and its emergency management must be included in their curriculum.

Effectiveness of educational poster on knowledge of emergency management of dental trauma--part 2: cluster randomised controlled trial for secondary school students

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of educational poster on improving secondary school students' knowledge of emergency management of dental trauma.

Methods

A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. 16 schools with total 671 secondary students who can read Chinese or English were randomised into intervention (poster, 8 schools, 364 students) and control groups (8 schools, 305 students) at the school level. Baseline knowledge of dental trauma was obtained by a questionnaire. Poster containing information of dental trauma management was displayed in a classroom for 2 weeks in each school in the intervention group whereas in the control group there was no display of such posters. Students of both groups completed the same questionnarie after 2 weeks.

Results

Two-week display of posters improved the knowledge score by 1.25 (p-value = 0.0407) on average.

Conclusion

Educational poster on dental trauma management significantly improved the level of knowledge of secondary school students in Hong Kong.

Trial Registration

HKClinicalTrial.com HKCTR-1343

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01809457

Knowledge of emergency management of avulsed tooth among Japanese dental students

BACKGROUND

The management of the avulsion of deciduous and permanent teeth in children is well outlined in the guidelines of the International Association of Dental Traumatology and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. However, little information is available about the level of knowledge in the management of dental trauma among undergraduate dental students in Japan. The objective of this study is to explore dental students' level of educational knowledge in the management of avulsed teeth.

METHODS

A three-part questionnaire was used to gather demographic data and evaluate the knowledge of students at Kyushu Dental University.

RESULTS

Questionnaire data were collected from 121 (53 first-year, 68 sixth-year) students. Regarding the immediate emergency management of a case in which a 9-year-old girl had fallen down the stairs and lost a maxillary incisor but remained conscious, 55.9% of sixth year students and 28.3% of first-year students suggested the immediate transportation of the tooth to a dentist. The answer selected by the largest number (50.9%) of first-year respondents was "sideline the injured girl and get her to bite on a tissue paper for several hours". In a case in which a boy had an avulsed tooth after falling down on a road, only 13.2% of first-year students suggested the transportation of the tooth in his mouth to the clinic. Most the largest number of respondents believed that the best way to transport an avulsed tooth to the dental clinic was to "wrap it in dry tissue paper".

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that education in first aid for accidents that occur outside dental clinics or hospitals is insufficient. Japanese dentists and dental educations must immediately improve the utilization of the guidelines for dental trauma and the education of undergraduate students and patients in the management of dental trauma using an integrated approach.

Impact of audiovisual method in educating children facing dental avulsion

INTRODUCTION

Dental trauma is a major problem in oral health in childhood especially if the result is a tooth avulsion. Subsequently, an appropriate management is essential to preserve the avulsed tooth.

AIM

The goal of this study is to evaluate the knowledge of children concerning dental trauma and to highlight the importance of audio and visual methods in educating viewers in the management of such accident.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and forty four children, aged between 8 and 11 years old, participated in this study. Half of them answered a questionnaire about the management of a tooth avulsion. Then, they watch an educational movie played by a speaker. Three months later, they answer the same questionnaire. The remaining 172 children are divided into two equal groups A and B. Group A watches the movie, and group B listens to the story and answers the same questionnaire. One more time, both groups watch the film and listen to its verbal interpretation, then both answer the same questionnaire again. The answers are analyzed.

RESULTS

Before watching the movie, 4 of 172 children answer correctly the question related to the conservation of the avulsed tooth. Three months after watching the movie, the correct answers increase to 52. For the second part of the study, after audiovisual information, the full score in group A increases from 20 to 58, and in group B from 49 to 67.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights the importance of audiovisual method in transmitting an educational message and improving the knowledge of a large 'target audience'.

Massachusetts emergency departments' resources and physicians' knowledge of management of traumatic dental injuries

BACKGROUND

Hospital emergency departments (ED) are confronted with triaging and managing dental emergencies of both traumatic and non-traumatic origin. However, the literature suggests that there exists inadequate knowledge of the management of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) among medical professionals who must be knowledgeable and have the appropriate resources needed to triage or treat patients presenting with TDI.

AIM

The aims of this study were to (i) evaluate the resources of Massachusetts emergency departments (MEDs) for TDI, (ii) determine the knowledge of management of TDI among MED physicians, and (iii) investigate potential factors that affect their knowledge.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Surveys were mailed to MED directors and their physicians. The director survey contained questions regarding institutional information for each emergency department (ED). The physician survey contained questions about physician characteristics and tested their knowledge of managing dental trauma.

RESULTS

A total of 72 surveys (16 MED directors and 56 physicians) were returned and included in the analysis. Only 50% of the MEDs had on-site dental coverage, 43.8% had 24-h off-site dental coverage, and none had a formal written dental trauma protocol. MED physician's knowledge of the appropriate management of luxations and avulsions was generally good, but poor for dental fractures. The MED physician's knowledge for the emergent nature of the various injuries was generally good with that of avulsions being the best. Physicians were more likely to have a better knowledge of managing dental trauma if they were specialists in pediatric emergency medicine (P = 0.001) or their hospitals had an academic affiliation (P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings from this study, educational campaigns must be undertaken to improve both the resources available to the ED, and the knowledge of physicians regarding emergency management of TDI. In addition, efforts should be made by local dental organizations to provide ED with lists of dentists who are knowledgeable and willing to be available 24 h day⁻¹ to consult with and, if necessary, treat TDI. These efforts would enhance the long-term outcomes for patients sustaining dental trauma who present to hospital ED.

Continuing dental education in the treatment of dental avulsion: Polish dentists' knowledge of the current IADT guidelines

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the knowledge and experience of the treatment of avulsed teeth amongst Polish dentists 5 years after the publication of IADT guidelines.

METHODS

On the basis of IADT guidelines, a voluntary anonymous 12-item questionnaire was developed to evaluate dentists' knowledge on the treatment of avulsed teeth. The survey was conducted during three continuing education courses, which took place in Bialystok, Poland and covered 133 dentists. Data were analysed with Statistica 6.0 using Mann-Withney U- and Kruskal-Wallis tests (P < 0.05).

RESULTS

The study revealed that Polish dentists were not prepared to deal with dental avulsion. 63.2% of respondents have never treated such patients, and 68.45% have never attended any postgraduate course on dental trauma. Sufficient knowledge was presented only according to the way of cleaning a contaminated tooth. Lack of knowledge was observed in fields: method of choice in first aid in dental avulsion (23.3% of correct answers) and critical extra-oral dry time (26.3%). Dentists practising <10 years had better knowledge than those with greater experience (P = 0.0000). Gender, previous experience in the treatment of avulsion, postgraduate education in dental trauma and subjective knowledge assessment were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a gap in the system of continuing dental education in Poland. Polish dentists need to familiarise themselves with the avulsion management procedures.

Knowledge of medical hospital emergency physicians about the first-aid management of traumatic tooth avulsion

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of emergency medical physicians employed in hospital emergency rooms as to their potential role in the treatment for traumatic teeth avulsion injuries (TTAI).

METHODS

A 15-item questionnaire was distributed to the emergency rooms of one university and 10 public hospitals. The questionnaire gathered data on the respondents' professional profiles and self-assessed perceived knowledge and actual knowledge of the emergency management of TTAIs.

RESULTS

The study was implemented with 69 emergency physicians present at their workplaces during the time of data collection. Of these, 55 (79.7%) were employed at public hospitals and 14 (20.3%) at a university hospital. The professional profiles indicated that 47 (68.1%) of the participants were general practitioners and the remaining 22 (31.9%) were distributed among various other medical specialties. Overall, 28 respondents (40.6%) assessed their knowledge regarding medical treatment for TTAI as insufficient, and the majority (78.3%) stated that they would like further education. Importantly, a large majority of practitioners could not provide correct answers to questions related to the emergency management of TTAI.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to improve the knowledge of emergency medical physicians regarding the emergency treatment for TTAI.

First-aid algorithms in dental avulsion

Almost one fourth of traumatic dental injuries occur at schools or in their surroundings. Prevalence of tooth avulsion varies from 0.5% to 16% of all cases of dental trauma. Children with dental avulsion may seek help from school nurses so they should be able to provide first-aid treatment. However, many studies showed that the general level of knowledge of medical staff concerning tooth avulsion is unsatisfactory and that it could be improved by educational activities. This article attempts to give short algorithms of first-aid management of avulsed tooth.

Knowledge of nurses working at schools in Bialystok, Poland, of tooth avulsion and its management

AIM

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of first aid in tooth avulsion among nurses working at schools in Bialystok, Poland. A part of this population attended a lecture on the management of dental trauma 2 years before.

METHODS

The survey was conducted in September 2010 and covered 50 (96.15%) school nurses from Bialystok. Thirty-eight of them attended the dental trauma lecture conducted 2 years before the survey. They were asked to fill in an anonymous questionnaire consisting of 20 closed questions referring to demographic data, previous dental trauma experience, and training. Seven questions referred directly to the knowledge of management of dental avulsion and on that basis, the level of nurses' knowledge was evaluated. The data were analyzed statistically using the Mann-Withney U-test with P < 0.05 to find factors influencing the level of knowledge.

RESULTS

The study showed that nurses' knowledge about tooth avulsion was at an appropriate level. 86% of the participants chose the correct definition of the term of replantation, 92% understood that the time is crucial for the result of a replantation, 94% knew that an avulsed tooth should be held by the crown, and 96% pointed the proper transport medium. A half of the surveyed nurses declared that they would provide tooth replantation and another 16% would consult the procedures by calling a dentist. One statistically significant correlation between the level of knowledge and previous dental trauma training was revealed (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The lay knowledge of tooth avulsion in the population of nurses working at schools in Bialystok, Poland, was at an appropriate level. There was a strong correlation between this level and the participation in the lecture on the management of dental trauma conducted 2 years before.

Delayed removal of a primary incisor embedded in the upper lip after dental trauma: a case report about the importance of soft tissue examination

This article describes a child patient who initially had inadequate treatment and suffered concomitant soft tissue trauma involving complete displacement of a primary central incisor into the lip tissue. The primary tooth was subsequently removed by surgery under general anesthesia. Despite the delay in diagnosis, there was an excellent outcome following removal of the embedded tooth. This paper again emphasizes the importance of an accurate history, physical, and radiographic evaluation of these patients in the acute phase. The importance of soft tissue inspection even in cases that are presented late for dental trauma management is also highlighted. This case shows that educated emergency room staff preferably including an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is required for a proper emergency management in orofacial traumas.

The importance of soft tissue examination in traumatic dental injuries: a case report

Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) represent one of the main oral health problems in children, with variable prevalence rates. The issue of unmet treatment needs and inadequate emergency management of TDIs have surfaced up lately in dental literature, indicating that some TDIs present late for treatment, which may complicate management of these injuries. Soft tissue injuries usually accompany other dental injuries therefore thorough clinical and radiographic inspection of soft tissue wounds can not be over emphasized, even in late presentation cases. Tooth fragments may be embedded in soft tissues, even in late presentation cases, and may go unnoticed in the presence of urgent situations. This case report presents a child with a fractured tooth fragment embedded in the lower lip for 18 months, which went unnoticed until the child presented later for treatment of the fractured incisor, highlighting the importance of soft tissue exploration even in late presentation trauma cases.