A Survey on Knowledge and Practices in Erosive Tooth Wear Among Dental Practitioners in Kuantan, Pahang: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Introduction: Erosive tooth wear (ETW) is an emerging dental condition worldwide. However, most dental practi- tioners overlooked the early stages of the condition due to vague clinical appearance of tooth surface loss. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the knowledge of ETW and treatment given amongst dental professionals in private clinics in Kuantan, Pahang. Method: Several private dental clinics in Kuantan, Pahang, involved in this cross-sec- tional study. Dental practitioners were volunteering to participate in this research. A validated self-administered questionnaire was distributed, and a descriptive analysis was conducted. Results: The overall response rate was 75%. Results revealed that most participants obtained a structured education on ETW (79.2%). Through continuous dental education, about half of the participants learnt further. All participants agreed that carbonated drink caused ETW, and most reported that gastroesophageal reflux diseases and pickles had related to the ETW. The majority of participants favoured case note (79%) with regards to ETW records. Nevertheless, 40.9% and 36.4% are recorded at the tooth surface and individual level, respectively. Surprisingly, 79% of them did not know about special scores when assessing ETW. Most participants prefer to give instruction on oral hygiene and diet counselling as preventive measures, but the use of fluoride was not given priority. 77% have not ever referred the case to a dental specialist and preferred to treat the patient on their own. Conclusion: ETW knowledge among recruited PDPs is adequate; however, no specific indices were used for ETW scoring and insufficient treatment strategies.