KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE OF FIRST AID MANAGEMENT OF AVULSED TEETH AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA.

Background: Teachers' prompt and proper first aid management of avulsed teeth in schools is crucial for a favorable prognosis. Objective: This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of primary school teachers in Ibadan, Nigeria, regarding the first aid management of avulsed teeth and their relationship with the participants' sociodemographic factors. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among primary school teachers from randomly selected local government areas in Ibadan, Nigeria, from October to December 2023. Data collection was done using a pretested self-administered questionnaire. The sociodemographic characteristics and KAP scores were summarized using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were used to identify the association between sociodemographic factors and KAP scores. Results: A total of 251 teachers participated in the study, with median (Interquartile Range (IQR)) age and teaching experience of 47 years (37- 54) and 19 years (10-24), respectively. About twenty-four percent of them had adequate knowledge, and 37.4% demonstrated a positive attitude toward the emergency management of avulsed teeth. One hundred and seventeen teachers had witnessed avulsion injuries before, and out of them, 49 (41.8%) did nothing. Teachers with prior information were more likely to have adequate knowledge. [aOR = 2.66, 95% CI (1.28; 5.52), p = 0.008]. Conclusion: This study revealed that a high proportion of primary school teachers had inadequate knowledge, poor attitude, and sub-optimal practices of first aid management of dental avulsion. This highlights a critical need for targeted educational interventions among teachers to increase the prognosis of dental avulsion in school children.