Knowledge, Attitude, and Awareness of Adolescents About the Emergency Management of Traumatic Dental Injuries: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are common in adolescents and require immediate first aid to optimize outcomes, especially in cases of avulsion. Adolescents are often the first responders during school or sports activities, yet their preparedness remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and awareness of pre-university students in Mangalore, Karnataka, regarding the emergency management of TDIs. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years from four randomly selected pre-university colleges. A structured, validated 20-item questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics and domains of knowledge (6 items), attitude (4 items), and awareness (6 items). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Knowledge regarding dental trauma management was low, with a mean score of 2.19 ± 1.28 out of 6; only 26.3% knew that avulsed permanent teeth can be replanted and 7% identified an appropriate storage medium. Attitudes were positive, with 88.8% of the participants expressing willingness to assist an injured peer. Awareness related to preventive practices and prior exposure was moderate; mouthguard use was reported by only 11.5% of students. Knowledge scores did not differ significantly across schools (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Adolescents demonstrated favorable attitudes but inadequate knowledge of essential emergency procedures for TDIs. School-based dental first-aid training and reinforcement of preventive practices are urgently needed to improve adolescents’ preparedness for managing dental trauma.