Citation Information :
Virk I, Agnihotri A, Sood P, Arora R, Bansal N. Tobacco Turmoil in Teens and Preparedness of Pediatric Dentists: A Global Survey. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023; 16 (3):483-488.
Background: Tobacco use amongst adolescents causes significant health problems affecting almost all organs and has a significant effect on normal growth and development. Smoker adolescents are also more prone to oral health problems than nonsmokers. Pediatric dentists can play a significant role in providing tobacco cessation counseling to adolescents.
Aim: To assess the knowledge (K), perceptions (PR), training, and practices (PE) of pediatric dentists related to the provision of tobacco cessation interventions.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional online survey with convenience sampling was planned to assess the K, PR, training, and PE of pediatric dentists across the globe in dealing with tobacco menace amongst adolescents. The survey was done through a self-administered questionnaire in the form of an online Google Form. The study population consisted of pediatric dentists attending the International Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (IAPD) virtual conference 2021.
Results: A total of 1,564 participants were targeted and 235 answered the survey with a response rate of 15.02%. Attending tobacco cessation intervention (p ≤ 0.001) and training in postgraduation on tobacco cessation (p ≤ 0.002) showed significant association with favorable practice scores. However, in the PR domain age in years (p ≤ 0.043), country of residence (continent, p ≤ 0.001) was found to be significantly associated with attending tobacco cessation intervention (p < 0.001) and training in postgraduation (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results of the study emphasize the need for recommendations for educating pediatric dentists by the inclusion of tobacco cessation interventions in the core curriculum, continuing dental education programs, and promoting professional responsibility to help achieve tobacco-free youth all across the globe.
Stanton WR, Silvia PA, Oei TPS. Change in children's smoking from age 9 to age 15 years: The Dunedin Study. Public Health 1991;105(6):425–433. DOI: 10.1016/s0033-3506(05)80612-2
Department of Health and Human Services. The health consequences of smoking-50 years of progress: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and. Health; 2014. p. 17.
Nazir MA, Al-Ansari A, Abbasi N, et al. Global Prevalence of tobacco use in adolescents and its adverse oral health consequences. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2019;7(21):3659–3666. DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.542
M Wilson K, Weis E. The epidemiology and health effects of tobacco smoke exposure. Curr Pediatr Rev 2011;7(2):76–80. DOI: 10.2174/157339611795735594
Lopez E, Tudela R. Prevalence of oral cancer in adolescents related to areca (betel) nut chewing, using tobacco and other additives in Saipan, Northern Marianas islands: a review of literature. J Health Disparities Res Pract 2016;9(5):44.
Upadhyaya HP, Deas D, Brady KT, et al. Cigarette smoking and psychiatric comorbidity in children and adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2002;41(11):1294–1305. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200211000-00010
Wilens TE, Biederman J, Adamson JJ, et al. Further evidence of an association between adolescent bipolar disorder with smoking and substance use disorders: a controlled study. Drug Alcohol Depend 2008;95(3):188–198. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.12.016
Sham AS, Cheung LK, Jin LJ, et al. The effects of tobacco use on oral health. Hong Kong Med J 2003;9(4):271–277.
Chandrashekar J, Manjunath BC, Unnikrishnan M. Addressing tobacco control in dental practice: a survey of dentists’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in India. Oral Health Prev Dent 2011;9:243–249.
Shaheen S, Reddy S, Doshi D, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding tobacco cessation among Indian dentists. Oral Health Prev Dent 2015;13(5):427–434. DOI: 10.3290/j.ohpd.a33924
Preet R, Khan N, Blomstedt Y, et al. Assessing dental professionals’ understanding of tobacco prevention and control: a qualitative study in Västerbotten County, Sweden. BDJ Open 2016;2(1):1–6. DOI: 10.1038/bdjopen.2016
Thomas J, Kumar RV, Akhil S, et al. Prevalence of smoking among dental students and gauging their knowledge about tobacco cessation methods: an original study. J Family Med Prim Care 2019;8(5):1562–1566. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_167_19
Ford PJ, Tran P, Cockburn N, et al. Survey of dental clinic patients: smoking and preferences for cessation support. Aust Dent J 2016;61(2):219–226. DOI: 10.1111/adj.12345
Li KW, Chao DV. Current practices, attitudes, and perceived barriers for treating smokers by Hong Kong dentists. Hong Kong Med J 2014;20:94–101. DOI: 10.12809/hkmj134027
Stead LF, Bergson G, Lancaster T. Physician advice for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;2:CD000165. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000165.pub3