Impact of a child's history of traumatic dental injury on parental knowledge and attitudes toward emergency management

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Cihangir İ., Kızılcı E., Aşkaroğlu Eren Ö.

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, cilt.50, sa.6, ss.133-141, 2026 (SCI-Expanded)

Özet

Background: This study aimed to evaluate parental knowledge and attitudes regarding the emergency management of traumatic dental injuries among parents whose children had experienced dental trauma and to determine the influence of previous trauma experience on parental awareness. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 200 parents. Participants were divided into two groups according to whether their children had a history of dental trauma. Parental knowledge and attitudes were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Differences between the groups were analyzed using the Chi-square test, and statistically significant findings were interpreted based on the effect size, as measured by Cramer’s V (p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of selected knowledge-related outcomes. Results: Parents of children with a history of trauma demonstrated greater awareness of selected aspects of emergency management for traumatic dental injuries. Significant differences were observed particularly for preserving fractured tooth fragments (p = 0.016) and selecting appropriate storage media after trauma (p = 0.048). However, the effect sizes for these differences were generally small (Cramer’s V ≤0.24). Parental attitude patterns were similar between the groups. After adjustment, previous dental trauma experience remained independently associated with locating fractured tooth fragments and selecting gauze or milk as a storage medium, but it was also associated with the incorrect practice of reinsertion without cleaning. Conclusions: A child’s experience of dental trauma was associated with a limited increase in parental knowledge regarding emergency management. However, this improvement remained clinically insufficient, and parental awareness was still inadequate. These findings highlight the need for structured and widely accessible educational programs for parents on dental trauma management.