A review of dental injuries and the use of mouthguards in contact team sports

Abstract

Dental injuries are the commonest type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports. Of the types which are currently available, custom-made mouthguards fitted by a dentist have been demonstrated to provide the greatest protection from dental injuries. Such mouthguards should therefore be recommended for use by those who participate in contact sports, and their provision should be actively encouraged by dental care workers.

Prevalence of dental trauma and mouthguard awareness among weekend warrior soccer players

“…Traumatic dental and facial injuries are frequent in sports and often cause esthetic, functional, psychological, and economic problems (1). Dental injuries are the most frequent orofacial injury related to participation in sports activities (1).…”

“…Dental injuries are the most frequent orofacial injury related to participation in sports activities (1). The main causes of traumatic dental injuries are falls and collisions with people or objects, which are very common in contact sports (2)(3)(4)(5).…”

Intra-oral Mouth-Guard In Sport Related Oro-Facial Injuries: Prevention is Better Than Cure!

“…The bulk of the evidence indicating a potential protective effect of mouth guards on concussion incidence has been based on limited case series studies and retrospective, nonrandomized cross-sectional surveys [15]. There is also evidence that mouth guard use does not result in any difference in neurocognitive test performance after concussion [16].…”

Awareness and Use of Mouthguards in Athletes with a High Risk of Oral Trauma in Barcelona

“…Nevertheless, many athletes will not wear a mouthguard if it is not suitable in terms of speech, breathing, and comfort [5]. Other athletes fear that mouthguard use will negatively affect exercise outcomes [6], although studies report that custom mouthguards provide advantages in exercise, including increased strength and muscle endurance [7].…”