title: Knowledge and attitude regarding management of tooth avulsion injuries among school teachers in rural India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Traumatic dento-alveolar injuries are frequent in children and adolescents, affecting teeth, their supporting structures, and adjacent soft tissues. Because school teachers are likely to be in contact with the child soon after injury, it is important to ascertain their knowledge and attitude about this.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of school teachers in Coorg with regard to immediate management of avulsed teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted among school teachers in Coorg district. A self-administered questionnaire containing 16 questions was given to a sample of 600 school teachers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Descriptive statistics and independent sample t-test were used for analysis. Only 24.7% teachers thought the tooth was important and wanted to search for the avulsed tooth. Regarding the knowledge about replantation of tooth, 25.7% teachers knew that a fallen tooth can be placed back in the socket. Extraoral time for replantation of the tooth that was opted by 44 teachers (30.3%) was ≤30 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey reflected the lack of experience and inadequate knowledge regarding dental trauma management among school teachers in Coorg. The implications of this study are directed toward education of these school teachers who are involved in the supervision of children in schools.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Coorg, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Supreetha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shamarao
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Coorg, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Jithesh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, College of Dental Surgery, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sunil Lingaraj
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ajagannanavar
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pariyaram Dental College, Kannur, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Reshmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haridas
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, India.
authors.forename: Shreyas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tikare
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Yuvaraja College, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Amrutha Ammanichanda
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kalappa
keywords: Dental first aid; dental trauma; extra-oral time; replantation; tooth injury