Knowledge level of mothers regarding traumatic dental injuries before and after informative leaflet

A dental trauma can be defined the effect of an accidental event that involves the hard and the support structures of a tooth. Immediate management of traumatized teeth is often critical to the prognosis of the teeth. Most of the traumatic dental injuries occur at home, followed by school. There is a high probability that first aid would be given by lay people such as parents, teachers, or coaches. Knowledge of those people regarding emergency management of dental trauma is crucial for better prognosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate via a questionnaire the knowledge level of mothers in Zonguldak, regarding dental trauma and its relation to demographic variables; to inform them on the subject through a leaflet; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the leaflet by reapplying the questionnaire. A questionnaire was distributed to randomly selected 300 mothers who have at least one child aged 6-12 years. The questionnaire consisted of five different scenarios presented with photographs and a total of twelve questions on crown fracture, root fracture, extrusive\lateral luxation, intrusive luxation and avulsion. After responding to the questionnaire, mothers were given a leaflet containing information about traumatic dental injuries and their emergency management. After 1 month, the same questionnaire was distributed, and the responses collected. Initial responses indicated the knowledge level of mothers to be quite low. Following the distribution of the information leaflet, the rate of correct answers increased for each of the cases, and the total scores for the questionnaire increased significantly (p<0,001). There is a clear need to inform mothers about traumatic dental injuries. The use of educational leaflets can be a successful and appropriate means of providing mothers with information. Educational programs that can be added to the mother and child care advice protocols may help improve the knowledge and awareness of mothers and therefore improve the outcomes of dental trauma.