Patient’s Knowledge and Attitude towards Post-extraction Instructions Following Permanent Teeth Extraction

Background: Post extraction complications may arise if the extraction done is traumatic or the tooth was placed at a difficult position; this could lead to post-extraction complications and knowledge about the prevention of the same is the need of the hour. Hence, the present study was conducted to explore the knowledge of the participants about the prevention of post-extraction complications.

Material and Methods: This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional descriptive study.

A total of 135 patients (75 males and 61females) were included in the study by the convenient method of sampling that visited the dental clinics of the College of Dentistry, Validated questionnaire was asked about post-extraction preventive knowledge. The statistical analysis was performed by the Statistical Package for Social Science version 21 (SPSS Inc Chicago, IL, USA). The significant value was obtained by using the Chi-Square test and p < 0.05 was set to be significant.

Results: Females more than 50 years of age group had better post-extraction preventive knowledge and there was significant relation (p < 0.05). Socioeconomic level and gender distribution had significant relation with the level of post-extraction preventive knowledge (p < 0.05). The patients who had better knowledge followed their instructions precisely.

Conclusion: It was concluded that female, patients above the middle age group and more qualified patients had more post-extraction preventive knowledge and they also followed the instructions very strictly. The importance of the study came out that dentists and the dental assistants should explain and convince patients to follow proper post-operative instructions to avoid post operative complications.