SURVEY ON THE OCCURRENCE OF DENTAL TRAUMA AND PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES AMONG BRAZILIAN PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS

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(Journal of Applied Oral Science)

Marcos Britto CORREA,1 Helena Silveira SCHUCH,2 Kauê COLLARES,2 Dione Dias TORRIANI,3 Pedro Curi HALLAL,4and Flavio Fernando DEMARCO5

1 DDS, MS, PhD student, Post-graduation Program in Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.

2 Undergraduate student, Dental School, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.

3 DDS, MS, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.

4 DDS, MS, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Post-Graduation Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.

5 DDS, PhD, Associate Professor, Post-Graduation Program in Dentistry and Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.

Corresponding address: Flávio Fernando Demarco - Universidade Federal de Pelotas - Faculdade de Odontologia - Rua Gonçalves Chaves, 457, 5º - andar -Centro - 96015568 - Pelotas, RS - Brasil - Phone/fax: + 55 53 3222 6690 - Ramal 135 - e-mail: rb.qpnc.qp@ocramed.oivalf

Objectives

The aims of this study were to verify the occurrence of dental injuries in professional Brazilian soccer players, the level of knowledge of the teams' medical departments about mouthguards, and the conducts adopted in cases of dental trauma during the match.

Material and methods

Closed questionnaires were sent to the physicians in charge of the medical departments of the 40 teams enrolled in the first and second divisions of the Brazilian professional soccer league in 2007. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive analysis to determine absolute and relative frequencies of answers for each one of the questions.

Results

Physicians from 38 (95%) of the 40 teams in the first and second divisions answered the questionnaires and 71.1% reported the occurrence of some type of dental injury during soccer practice, dental fractures (74.1%) and avulsions (59.3%) being the most prevalent ones. Regarding emergency conducts, approximately 50% answered that a successful replantation could be obtained in periods from 6 to 24 h after injury, and 27.8% were not able to answer this question. Regarding mouthguard use, 48.6% of the physicians did not know about mouthguards, and only 21.6% usually recommended their use by the soccer players. Among the physicians who do not recommend the use of mouthguards, 50% justified that it was not necessary. Almost 50% of the medical departments do not have a dentist as part of the health professional staff.

Conclusions

It was possible to conclude that dental injuries are common during professional soccer practice and that there is a lack of information in the medical departments related to the emergency conducts and prevention of dental trauma.

Keywords: Athletic injuries, Soccer, Tooth injuries, Accident prevention, Mouthguards

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