Dental emergency

About: Dental emergency is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 274 publications have been published within this topic receiving 2822 citations.

Parental awareness of the emergency management of avulsed teeth in children.

Abstract: Although public awareness campaigns on avulsed teeth have been mounted in the past, no study has investigated the knowledge parents possess of the protocol for the management of this dental emergency. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate, by means of a questionnaire, the parental awareness of the emergency management of avulsed teeth in children. Over 2000 parents were surveyed during a four-week period at 20 suburban vacation swimming centres. The results indicated that almost two-thirds of respondents would attempt replantation of an avulsed tooth but further questioning showed they did not know the correct procedures. Thirty-three per cent of respondents were unaware of any after-hours emergency dental services. Ninety-two per cent felt they should seek professional help urgently following an avulsion injury, but their knowledge of transport media for the tooth was poor. Only 5 per cent knew that milk was the medium of choice for both washing and transporting an avulsed tooth. Ninety per cent of parents surveyed had never received advice on what to do in the event of an accident where a permanent tooth was avulsed. This study revealed the need for educational campaigns aimed at parents to increase their knowledge of the emergency procedures required when the tooth is avulsed.

Dental injuries among children and adolescents aged 1-15 years attending to public hospital in Temuco, Chile

Abstract: A cross-sectional study was carried out in children and adolescents of both sexes, aged 1-15 years that sought dental emergency attention to the Regional Hospital between 2004 and 2007 in Temuco, Chile. The purpose of this study was to identify the aetiology, types of traumatic dental injuries in primary and permanent dentitions, sex and age distributions, accident location; and time elapsed before emergency treatment in children and adolescents. The sample consisted of 359 patients with 145 primary teeth and 525 permanent teeth affected by dental trauma. The results showed a 2:1 male:female ratio distribution (242/117) with a mean age of 8.4 years. The 7- to 12-year-old group had the highest frequency of dental injuries (66.6%). Unspecific accidental falls were the main cause of injury to primary and permanent dentition (51.8%), followed by striking teeth against objects (15.6%) and bike accidents (13.9%). In primary dentition the most common diagnosis were subluxation (38.6%) and avulsion (16.6%), whereas in permanent dentition was uncomplicated crown fracture (32.9%). A high proportion of the patients received their first emergency attention 24 h after the accident (32.6%). This study revealed a high frequency (37.9%) in 1-15 aged population that sought emergency attention by dental trauma in the period of time study. A large proportion of children with dental trauma received delayed first emergency care, even 24 h after the accident. Considering the high frequency of traumatic dental injuries in 1-15 aged population and the high percentage of delayed emergency attention is necessary to develop effective educational campaigns in regard to causes, prevention and emergency management of traumatic dental injuries, especially in deprived areas. In conclusion, traumatic dental injury may be considered as a serious dental public health problem especially in children of deprived areas.

Oral health and history of respiratory tract infection in frail institutionalised elders

Abstract: OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to look for a relationship between history of respiratory tract infection (RTI) and oral health in very old subjects. SETTING AND SUBJECTS 302 frail elders (mean age: 85 years) living in a medical care facility were examined by one dentist. OUTCOME MEASURES The incidence of RTI over 1 year had been recorded along with markers of nutritional status and degree of dependency. The oral examination comprised an evaluation of hygiene, quality of prostheses and the prevalence of caries, periodontal disease and mucosal disorders. RESULTS One third (33%) of the subjects had experienced at least one episode of RTI, and a fifth (19%) had visited the dentist in emergency. The incidence of RTI had been greater among dentate subjects and those who came to the dentist in emergency. The dentate subjects with a history of RTI had higher plaque score (P = 0.02). Half (49%) of the subjects had oral disorders that could develop in a dental emergency and these subjects had had a higher risk of RTI (relative risk: 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.1-3.9). The presence of selected oral disorders associated with low serum albumin increased the relative risk of having had RTI to 3.2 (1.5-6.7). The association between presence of actual oral health problems and previous experience of RTI was more noticeable in those who had poor general health or were more debilitated. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that poor oral hygiene and the presence of potential emergency could be major risk factors for RTI among the frail elderly.

Dental emergencies presenting to a dental teaching hospital due to complications from traumatic dental injuries

Abstract: In Jordan, only two surveys of dental trauma have been carried out. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and pattern of dental emergencies resulting from traumatic injuries, as well as treatment provided to children presenting with these dental emergencies. Over a 1-year period, 620 children presented to our pediatric dental clinics with dental emergencies; 195 (31%) of these emergencies were a consequence of dental trauma to 287 teeth and were included in the study. The average time between the trauma and the dental emergency was 5 months. Pain or sensitivity was the most frequent presenting symptom (31.3%) followed by swelling or sinus tract (17.4%). The age of these patients ranged from 15 months to 14 years, with an average age of 9.3 years. Males accounted for 75.4% of the children in the samples, whereas females accounted for only 24.6%. The main cause of dental trauma was falling during play (58.5%); the least common cause was motor vehicle accidents, accounting for only 1.5% of all injuries. Most of the dental injuries occurred at home (41.5%), around noon time. The most commonly involved teeth were permanent maxillary central incisors accounting for 79.5% of all teeth involved by dental trauma. The most frequently encountered type of trauma in this sample was crown fracture seen in 76.6% of the teeth. Soft tissue injuries were estimated to occur in 16.9% of the children. The treatment received by the children in the sample ranged from no active treatment (6.2%) to elaborate dental procedures such as pulp therapy (41.3%) and prosthetic replacement of missing teeth (5.1%).

The periodontal abscess: a review

Abstract: Background/aims: The periodontal abscess is a frequent periodontal condition in which periodontal tissues may be rapidly destroyed. Its importance is based on the possible need of urgent care, the affectation of tooth prognosis, and the possibility of infection spreading. There is scant information in the scientific literature regarding this condition and most of it has been published as case reports and text books, where conclusions are not evidence-based, but rather empirical observations made by recognised clinicians. The aim of this review was to critically analyse all available information on this subject in the dental and medical literature, including information on its prevalence, proposed etiologies and pathogenesis, diagnosis, microbiology and treatment alternatives. The periodontal abscess is the 3rd most frequent dental emergency, and it is specially prevalent among untreated periodontal patients and periodontal patients during maintenance. Different etiologies have been proposed, and 2 main groups can be distinguished, depending on its relation with periodontal pockets. In the case of a periodontitis-related abscess, the condition may appear as an exacerbation of a non-treated periodontitis or during the course of periodontal therapy. In non-periodontitis related abscesses, impactation of foreign objects, and radicular abnormalities are the 2 main causes. The abscess microflora seems to be similar to that of adult periodontitis, and it is dominated by gram-negative anaerobic rods, including well-known periodontal pathogens. Complications and consequences include tooth loss and the spread of the infection to other body sites. Diagnosis and treatment is mainly based on empiricism, since evidence-based data are not available. The role of systemic antibiotics, in the treatment of periodontal abscesses, is especially controversial.