Parental knowledge of traumatic dental injuries explained by first aid training and education: a cross-sectional study

Background: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are of high prevalence, especially among children at home. Parental knowledge regarding management of TDIs is detrimental for the prognosis of the affected teeth and child. The aims were to assess knowledge concerning TDIs and their management among parents of children attending selected dental centers in Western Saudi Arabia, and to determine the characteristics of the parents as related to their knowledge on TDIs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 432 parents recruited from two major dental centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 13 questions about TDI-related knowledge, attitude and self-evaluation was used. A two-step cluster analysis was used to categorize the studied sample based on their characteristics. Results: Knowledge regarding TDIs was generally low. The two-step cluster analysis revealed that cluster #1 with parents who had no first aid training and low educational background had the lowest percentage of correct answers to questions related to management of avulsed teeth compared to those with first aid training and/or higher educational backgrounds (p < 0.05). The same cluster also included individuals with the lowest self-perceived knowledge related to TDIs and the least interest to learn about management of TDI in the future (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Within study limits, there was a lack of knowledge of traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) and their management among parents of children attending the two selected dental centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Clusters including parents with no first aid training and lower levels of education demonstrated lower TDI-related knowledge.