Saudi Dentists' Awareness about “Hot Tooth” and Its Management

Abstract Management of “hot tooth” can be a problem in dental practice, and this study assessed the general practitioners and internees' knowledge and management about the “hot tooth” condition. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among general dental practitioners and internees of Saudi Arabia using a structured close-ended questionnaire. Knowledge and management of “hot tooth” was compared between general practitioners and internees, males and females, and dentists with graduate or postgraduate qualifications, job status, and work location. Data were analyzed using the Chi-squared test and binary regression analysis with statistical significance level of p ≤0.050. Three hundred twenty nine participants comprised 57% females, 67% aged ≤29 years. In total, 94% had bachelor degree qualification, 58% were general practitioners, and 42% were internees. In addition, 27% were from eastern region; 81% had 5 or less years of practice; 56% study participants had heard about hot tooth and 35% knew the cause; 39% have faced hot tooth cases; 48% experienced embarrassment during management; 48% were able to solve the problem; 66% used lidocaine as local anesthesia (LA); 20% used three or more carpules, 76% had no knowledge of LA technique for hot tooth; 81% used intraosseous and intra-ligament technique; and 63% knew the toxic dose of LA solutions. General dental practitioners were significantly (p = 0.037) higher in number to face the hot tooth cases, solve the problem (p ≤ 0.001), and know the toxic dose of LA (p = 0.031). Binary regression analysis showed that males as compared to females, general dentists to internees, public sector to private sector had shown a significant (p ≤ 0.007) exposure to hot tooth condition and its management. A simple majority of dental practitioners of this study sample had knowledge of “hot tooth” and a small number have faced the problem. Majority of dentists had no knowledge of LA technique to manage hot tooth. Respectively, internees have shown further less knowledge and experience.