Dental Injuries and Mouthguard Use Among High School Athletes

Abstract

Research Article| May 01 2016 Dental Injuries and Mouthguard Use Among High School Athletes AAP Grand Rounds (2016) 35 (5): 53. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.35-5-53 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Dental Injuries and Mouthguard Use Among High School Athletes. AAP Grand Rounds May 2016; 35 (5): 53. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.35-5-53 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP NewsAll AAP Sites Search Advanced Search Topics: dental trauma, mouth protectors, student athletes Source: Collins CL, McKenzie LB, Ferketich AK, et al. Dental injuries sustained by high school athletes in the United States, from 2008/2009 through 2013/2014 academic years. Dent Traumatol. 2016; 32(2): 121– 127; doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/edt.12228Google Scholar Researchers from multiple institutions assessed the rate of dental injuries among high school athletes and determined athletes’ use of mouthguards at the time of injury. Data were obtained from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, which collects information about high school athlete injuries on a weekly basis from certified athletic trainers (AT) at a national sample of US high schools. Data from academic years 2008–2009 through 2013–2014 were included in this study. ATs used a standardized, internet-based injury report that included information on the number of athlete competitions, athlete practices, and reportable injuries sustained by athletes by sport, including dental injury. A dental injury was defined as any injury to the teeth and/or mouth of an athlete that occurred as a result of participation in a high school competition, practice, or performance, required medical attention, and resulted in restriction of the athlete’s participation for ≥1 days. ATs were asked to include the type of dental injury, how it occurred, and information about the use of self-fitted or professionally-fitted mouthguards at the time of injury. The primary outcome was dental injury rates. The rate of dental injury was calculated as the ratio of injuries per 100,000 athletic exposures (AEs), which was defined as 1 athlete participating in 1 practice, competition, or performance. Rates of dental injury were compared across sports and the rate of dental injury during practice was compared to the rate of injury during competition. During the study period, 222 dental injuries occurred during 24,787,258 AEs for a rate of 0.9 per 100,000. Oral lacerations, tooth fractures, and tooth avulsion injuries accounted for 36.5%, 23.9%, and 11.3% of the dental injuries, respectively. Dental injuries most commonly occurred due to contact with another player (61.3%) or with a playing apparatus (31.5%). Dental injuries occurred more often during competition (1.8 per 100,000) than practice (0.6 per 100,000). Girls’ field hockey (3.9 per 100,000) and boys’ basketball (2.6 per 100,000) were the sports with highest rates of dental injuries. In most cases of dental injury, the athlete was not wearing a mouthguard (72.5%). In those instances where an injury was sustained while wearing a mouthguard, most athletes were wearing self-fitted mouthguards (95.9%). The authors conclude that dental injuries in high school sports are uncommon but may potentially be prevented by wearing a mouthguard. Dr Karp has disclosed no financial relationship relevant to this commentary. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device. Mouthguards are advocated by the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry as effective protective equipment for preventing or reducing the severity of dental injuries.1,2 The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) requires mouthguard use... You do not currently have access to this content.