Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Dentists towards Oral Herpetic Infections
A. Ashik Ahamed
Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
Dhanraj Ganapathy *
Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
R. Subhashree
Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
V. Rakshagan
Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
During the course of the oral examination or during procedures, dentists, auxiliaries, and other healthcare personnel have an increased chance of getting exposed to various pathogens. There were about 80 known herpes viruses, and in that at least eight of them are known to cause infections in humans. Herpes labialis also known as cold sores is the most common orofacial form of recurrent HSV infection. The dentist should have a clear knowledge of herpetic infections because they are frequently exposed to patients who suffer from HSV infections. A close-ended questionnaire comprising 10 questions regarding encompassing major aspects of herpetic infections were prepared and distributed among dentists through an online survey. Data were tabulated and analyzed by computing the percentage response for each question. Proper awareness should be created among dentists for treating patients in their clinical practice. From this survey, it can be concluded that the majority of dental practitioners were aware of oral herpetic infections.
Keywords: Awareness, dentist, knowledge, herpes