Trauma dentário na infância: avaliação da conduta de educadores de creches e escolas públicas e privadas situadas no município de Governador Valadares em Minas Gerais

Abstract

Dental trauma impacts dental tissue, besides causing negative repercussions on the aesthetic and social status of the individual. During childhood, school-age children are more susceptible to trauma during games, play, and daily activities. The aim of this study was to analyze the level of education of educators in kindergartens and public/private schools in Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil, regarding dental trauma. The study was carried out with a sample of 82 teachers, 59 from public and 23 from private institutions. Educators from kindergartens, public and public schools in the municipality who teach children aged 4 to 11 years were also included. An exploratory and descriptive analysis of the collected data was performed, using the software R (R core team 2020). The results showed that, of the 82 interviewees, only 6 (7.32%) reported having knowledge about types of dental trauma. Of the total sample, 74 (90.24%) were interested in conducting first aid training. Of those 74 interested, only 32 (43.24%) had the opportunity to undergo it. Of the 32, only 5 (15.63%) received knowledge about dental trauma. From the 50 who did not take the training, 29 (58%) had already witnessed some type of trauma involving teeth. Of the 5, only 2 (40%) had already witnessed some type of trauma with tooth involvement. When asked about the appropriate place for tooth storage in case of avulsion, about 38 participants (46.35%) would not store it in any place, (17.07%) would put it in fresh milk, (4.88%) of the educators would store the tooth in tap water, (3.65%) in alcohol, (8.54%) in cold water, (18.29%) in saline solution, (1.22%) in antiseptic solution. In the choice of who to look for in the event of trauma, the choice of the school's own professionals obtained the majority of the answers, adding up to 89.03%; the alternative of others or a dental surgeon was not selected by any participant. After analysis, it is concluded that educators do not have enough knowledge about dental trauma, that the interviewees believe in the importance of the teacher's training and that they need information and educational strategies to provide complete training to educators were also included.