Dental Injuries in Sports: Analysis, Prevention, and Protection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2024.20.53986Keywords
sports dentistry, contact sports, sports injury, dental trauma, mouthguardsAbstract
Introduction and purpose: Participating in sports plays a vital role in maintaining both physical and mental health. However, as the popularity of physical activity increases, so does the incidence of dental injuries. The aim of this scientific paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of various types of mouthguards in preventing sports-related dental injuries and to demonstrate their positive impact on athletes' overall health.
State of knowledge: Dental injuries are prevalent in sports, comprising 31% of all maxillofacial injuries. The most common types of injuries are crown fractures, dislocations, and soft tissue damage. Preventive measures, particularly the use of mouthguards, are the most effective means of reducing these injuries, lowering their incidence by 82-93%. Custom-made mouthguards provide the best protection and comfort, and their use can improve physical endurance.
Summary: Mouthguards are an essential component of injury prevention in sports, providing effective protection for the oral cavity and significantly reducing the risk of serious injuries. The use of mouthguards, particularly custom-made, should be a standard practice in contact sports. In addition to protecting the teeth, mouthguards offer additional benefits, such as improving physical endurance and releasing protective substances like chlorhexidine and fluoride, which contribute to oral health. Increasing awareness and enacting legal regulations mandating the use of mouthguards can significantly improve the oral health of athletes.
References
References:
Gallagher J., Ashley P., Needlman I. Implementation of a behavioural change intervention to enhance oral health behaviours in elite athletes: A feasibility study. BMJ Open Sport Exerc. Med. 2020 doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000759.
Mordini L, Lee P, Lazaro R, Biagi R, Giannetti L. Sport and dental traumatology: Surgical solutions and prevention. Dent J (Basel). 2021;9(3):33. doi: 10.3390/dj9030033.
Andreasen J.O., Andreasen F.M., Andersson L. Textbook and Color. Atlas of Traumatic Injuries to the Teeth. John Wiley & Sons; Hoboken, NJ, USA: 2019.
Zaleckiene V., Peciuliene V., Brukiene V., Drukteinis S. Traumatic Dental Injuries: Etiology, Prevalence and Possible Outcomes. Stomatologija. 2014;16:7–14.
Fernandes L.M., Neto J.C.L., Lima T.F., Magno M.B., Santiago B.M., Cavalcanti Y.W., de Almeida L.D.F.D. The Use of Mouthguards and Prevalence of Dento-Alveolar Trauma among Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Dent. Traumatol. 2019;35:54–72. doi: 10.1111/edt.12441.
Ahmed I, Fine P. ‘Injury prevention versus performance’: has the time come to mandate the use of mouthguards in all contact sports? BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021;7(1). doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000828.
Collins CL, McKenzie LB, Roberts KJ, et al.. Mouthguard bites (behavior, impulsivity, theory evaluation study): what drives mouthguard use among high school basketball and baseball/softball athletes. J Prim Prev 2015;36:323–34. 10.1007/s10935-015-0402-7
Ada.org American Dental Association, 2021. Available:https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/mouthguards
American Dental Association . Orofacial Protectors. ADA; New York, NY, USA: 2016. p. 181.
Oliveira Werlich M., Honnef L.R., Silva Bett J.V., Domingos F.L., Pauletto P., Dulcineia Mendes de Souza B., Duque T.M., Curi Hallal A.L., De Luca Canto G. Prevalence of Dentofacial Injuries in Contact Sports Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Dent. Traumatol. 2020;36:477–488. doi: 10.1111/edt.12556.
Polmann H., Melo G., Conti Réus J., Domingos F.L., de Souza B.D.M., Padilha A.C., Duque T.M., Porporatti A.L., Flores-Mir C., De Luca Canto G. Prevalence of Dentofacial Injuries among Combat Sports Practitioners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Dent. Traumatol. 2020;36:124–140. doi: 10.1111/edt.12508.
Bergman L., Milardović Ortolan S., Žarković D., Viskić J., Jokić D., Mehulić K. Prevalence of Dental Trauma and Use of Mouthguards in Professional Handball Players. Dent. Traumatol. 2017;33:199–204. doi: 10.1111/edt.12323.
Guerard S., Barou J.-L., Petit J., Poisson P. Characterization of mouthguards: Impact performance. Dent. Traumatol. 2017;33:281–287. doi: 10.1111/edt.12329.
Tuna E.B., Ozel E. Factors Affecting Sports-Related Orofacial Injuries and the Importance of Mouthguards. Sports Med. 2014;44:777–783. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0167-9.
Parker, K., Marlow, B., Patel, N. et al. A review of mouthguards: effectiveness, types, characteristics and indications for use. Br Dent J 222, 629–633 (2017).doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.365
Spinas E., Aresu M., Giannetti L. Use of mouth guard in basketball: Observational study of a group of teenagers with and without motivational reinforcement. Eur. J. Paediatr. Dent. 2014;15:392–396.
Kaur G., Mangat S.S. Attitude toward mouthguard utilization among North Indian school children. J. Int. Soc. Prev. Community Dent. 2016;6:69–74. doi:10.4103/2231-0762.175417.
De Queiroz TS, da Cruz BS, Demachkia AMM, Borges ALS, Tribst JPM, Paes Junior TJdA. Ergonomic Sports Mouthguards: A Narrative Literature Review and Future Perspectives. Applied Sciences. 2023; 13(20):11353.doi:10.3390/app132011353
Shrestha A., Takahashi T., Kurokawa K., Mitsuyama A., Hayashi K., Ishigami T., Shahrin S., Chowdhury R., Churei H., Ueno T. Effects of Mouthguards on Electromyographic Activity of Masticatory Muscles. Int. J. Sports Dent. 2016;9:27–37.
Spinas E., Mameli A., Giannetti L. Traumatic Dental Injuries Resulting from Sports Activities; Immediate Treatment and Five Years Follow-Up: An Observational Study. Open Dent. J. 2018;12:1–10. doi: 10.2174/1874210601812010001.
Lloyd J.D., Nakamura W.S., Maeda Y., Takeda T., Leesungbok R., Lazarchik D., Dorney B., Gonda T., Nakajima K., Yasui T., et al. Mouthguards and Their Use in Sports: Report of the 1st International Sports Dentistry Workshop, 2016. Dent. Traumatol. 2017;33:421–426. doi: 10.1111/edt.12375.
Gómez-Gimeno À., Zamora-Olave C., Cordobés-Navarro M., Willaert E., Martinez-Gomis J. Satisfaction with shortening the palatal extension of a mouthguard for water polo players: A randomized crossover study. Dent. Traumatol. 2019;35:135–141. doi: 10.1111/edt.12455.
D’Ercole S., Martinelli D., Tripodi D. Influence of sport mouthguard on the ecological factor of the children oral cavity. BMC Oral Health. 2014;14:97. doi: 10.1186/1472-6831-14-97.
Sousa AM, Pinho AC, Messias A, Piedade AP. Obecny stan w polimerowych ochraniaczach na zęby. Przyszły obszar dla produkcji addytywnej? Polimery . 2020; 12(7):1490. doi:10.3390/polym12071490
Schultz Martins R., Girouard P., Elliott E., Mekary S. Physiological responses of a jaw-repositioning custom-made mouthguard on airway and their effects on athletic performance. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2018 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002679.
Spicuzza L., Parisi G.F., Tardino L., Ciancio N., Nenna R., Midulla F., Leonardi S. Exhaled markers of antioxidant activity and oxidative stress in stable cystic fibrosis patients with moderate lung disease. J. Breath Res. 2018;12:026010. doi:10.1088/1752-7163/aa9b39.
Chiavaroli A., D’Ercole S., Fulco D., Ferrante C., Orlando G., Recinella L., Tripodi D. The use of customized mouthguards during the training produced protective effects on salivary factors of young athletes. EJPD. 2021 (in press)
Mummolo S., D’Ercole S., Marchetti E., Campanella V., Martinelli D., Marzo G., Tripodi D. Oral antiseptic and periodontitis: A clinical and microbiological study. Oral Health Dent. Manag. 2014;13:698–702.
D’Ercole S., Tieri M., Fulco D., Martinelli D., Tripodi D. The use of chlorhexidine in mouthguards. J. Biol. Regul. Homeost. Agents. 2017;31:487–493.
D’Ercole S., Tieri M., Martinelli D., Ciaravino C., Fulco D., Tripodi D. Microbial contamination and disinfection of sport mouthguard: In vitro study. Curr. Microbiol. 2020;77:246–253. doi: 10.1007/s00284-019-01834-1.
Tripodi D., Martinelli D., Ciaravino C., Fulco D., Tieri M., D’Ercole S. The use of casein in sport mouthguards: Microbiological and ecological variations in oral cavity. J. Biol. Regul. Homeost. Agents. 2018;32:1045–1049.
Hegde R.J., Thakkar J.B. Comparative evaluation of the effects of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and xylitol-containing chewing gum on salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity in children: An in vivo study. J. Indian Soc. Pedod. Prev. Dent. 2017;35:332–337. doi:10.4103/JISPPD.JISPPD_147_17.
Nagai K., Domon H., Oda M., Shirai T., Ohsumi T., Terao Y., Arai Y. Antimicrobial activity of ethylene-vinyl acetate containing bioactive filler against oral bacteria. Dent. Mater. J. 2017;36:784–790. doi: 10.4012/dmj.2016-321.
Yoshida Y., Churei H., Takeuchi Y., Wada T., Uo M., Izumi Y., Ueno T. Novel antibacterial mouthguard material manufactured using silver-nanoparticle-embedded ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer masterbatch. Dent. Mater. J. 2018;37:437–444. doi: 10.4012/dmj.2017-226.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Martyna Wojda, Aleksandra Wielgosz

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 204
Number of citations: 0