Different dimensions of oral health literacy and tooth avulsion management: pre-post study with schoolteachers

TL;DR

This study explores how different aspects of oral health literacy affect schoolteachers' ability to manage tooth avulsion using an information leaflet.

Contribution

The study identifies how different dimensions of oral health literacy influence knowledge retention and acquisition in managing dental injuries.

Findings

Participants with high OHL/BOHL showed greater knowledge acquisition from the leaflet.

Those with high OHL/BREALD-30 retained information better over time.

Different OHL dimensions affect the effectiveness of educational interventions for dental injury management.

Abstract

Oral health literacy (OHL) may play a crucial role for managing traumatic dental injuries. In this pre-post study, the effect of the different dimensions of OHL on the efficacy of using an information leaflet (IL for managing permanent tooth avulsion ) was assessed in elementary schoolteachers. Functional OHL was measured using the Brazilian version of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30), while interactive OHL was assessed with the Oral Health Literacy Adult Questionnaire (BOHL-AQ). Knowledge scores (KS) on avulsion management were collected at three intervals: before reading the IL (baseline), immediately post-intervention (Phase I), and 60 days post-intervention (Phase II). The effect on OHL was assessed by comparing KS means between Phase I/Baseline (acquisition) and Phases II/I (retention). Participants with high OHL/BOHL had a greater difference in mean KS values between Phase I/baseline, while those with high OHL/BREALD-30 showed a smaller difference between phases II/I. Different dimensions of OHL impacted the effectiveness of an educational intervention on managing permanent tooth avulsion with use of a leaflet.

Figures