An analysis of anesthetists' awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward peri-anesthetic dental trauma

Abstract

Background/Aim: Peri-anesthetic dental trauma is a common anesthesia-related complication. It is the reason for a significant number of malpractice lawsuits against anesthetists through insurance companies. The frequency, outcomes, and risk factors related to peri-anesthetic dental trauma have been well documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate anesthetists' awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward peri-anesthetic dental trauma. Material and Methods: This nationwide, cross-sectional, descriptive study comprising 220 anesthetists was conducted in Turkey between June 2019 and May 2020. A specific questionnaire was created using Google Forms and delivered to 591 participants via WhatsApp. Pearson's Chi-squared test and the Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests were used to analyze the results. Results: The overall response rate was 37.2% (220 out of 591 participants). Of the 80.5% of the participants who encountered peri-anesthetic dental trauma during their practice, 32.8% had encountered avulsion and 32.8% reported that they had caused soft tissue injuries. More than one-third of the participants (38.9%) stated that the patient group that was the most at-risk for peri-anesthetic dental trauma was older people with missing teeth. Half of the participants (50.9%) stated that avulsed teeth could be replanted; among them, 21.8% and 11.8% specified that the ideal replantation time was <30 min and that the ideal storage medium for the avulsed tooth was fresh milk, respectively. Furthermore, 88.1% of the participants noted that peri-anesthetic dental trauma occurred more frequently during emergency intubations and only 20.9% were aware of custom-made mouthguards. Conclusions: Anesthetists lack knowledge around peri-anesthetic dental trauma and its interventions.