EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND AWARENESS IN THE PREVENTION OF DENTAL CARIES AMONGST PAEDIATRIC RESIDENTS IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate awareness, knowledge and attitude towards dental caries prevention 
amongst pediatrics residents in Edo state.
Methods: This study was a cross sectional study carried out among paediatrician trainees in the 
University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State. A pretested, self-administered questionnaire which elicited demographic characteristics, awareness, 
knowledge and attitude toward dental caries prevention, was the data collection tool. This 
study was carried out between February and May, 2019.
Results: A total of 42 pediatrics residents participated in this study. The majority (85.7%) of 
participants identified carbohydrate diets as one of the main aetiological factors in dental caries 
development. About one-third of the participant, 35.7% reported seeing at least one case of 
childhood caries a week in the clinic while One-third (33.3%) of the participants examined their 
patients’ teeth. About three-quarters (76.5%) of the participants reported that they refer 
children with dental caries to the pediatric dentist. Routine dental visit was seen by majority 
(90.5%) of the participants as important in preventing childhood dental caries while less than 
half (42.8%) of the participants reported that dental caries is transmissible.
Conclusion: This study indicates that the paediatric residents have proper attitude, satisfactory 
knowledge and sufficient awareness about the prevention of dental caries in children.