Influence of children's dental trauma education from community dentists on the cognitive level of children and parents

Background: Dental trauma affects the physical and mental health of children, many countries are looking for ways to reduce its occurrence. Community doctors in China are responsible for the treatment and education of children, and their educational role in the impact of dental trauma on children has been rarely reported. Methods: 512 pairs of students and parents of first- and second-graders from 3 primary schools were selected. Children’s cognitive level regarding dental trauma was investigated using a self-designed questionnaire. Student and parent sections were included in the questionnaire. All study subjects were lectured on prevention and treatment strategies for dental trauma. Questionnaires were completed before and one month after the lecture. Data from valid questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS 24.0. Quantitative data were presented as mean± standard deviation (x¯ ± S). McNemar test were performed on the general data of children and parents regarding their knowledge of dental trauma. We analyzed the influencing factors of dental trauma using the χ2 test. The p-value was set at 0.05. Results: This study revealed permanent tooth trauma often occurs in children aged 7–9 years old in their maxillary anterior teeth. Dental trauma knowledge among students and their parents, both improved after the lecture. Conclusions: Community dentist-led education effectively enhances both children’s and parents’ understanding of dental trauma, which is crucial to effective prevention and management.

Dental trauma; Oral health education; Community doctors; Cognitive level; Children

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