How to proceed in case of tooth avulsion: state of student knowledge

Sport-related dental injuries are a growing concern worldwide. Regardless of how minor they may appear, some of them can lead to traumas which have a negative impact on quality of life, producing psychological and social discomfort. In view of the widespread lack of knowledge with regard to first aid procedures in cases of dental trauma, we would like to report the current state of knowledge of an academy of physical education and sport students compared with medical and general university students.

In order to assess the knowledge of appropriate first aid procedures following dental trauma a survey using questionnaires was undertaken. The sample size consisted of 356 students attending the last year of university: sport academy (123 students); medical university (115 students); general university (118 students).

The results revealed that just 3% of all students knew that in the case of dental avulsion immediate replantation should be performed. Only 6% of students were aware that the time factor after tooth avulsion is the single most influential factor affecting the prognosis. Only 16% of sport academy students and 23% of general university students knew the recommended transport medium for an avulsed tooth.

In the face of such poor knowledge regarding dental injuries there is an urgent need for adequate education programs on the subject of sport-related orofacial injuries directed at all sports students, including athletes, players and coaches, so they could offer immediate help at the site of an accident.