BACKGROUND: Orodental injuries in field hockey are a growing cause of concern that requires attention.OBJECTIVE: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the patterns of orodental injury, and the use of mouthguards in Dutch national field hockey.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the period from 1 May to 31 July 2014, a 33-item questionnaire about orodental injury and mouthguard use was sent to 7 field hockey clubs in the Netherlands. Data were analysed using 2 multivariable logistic (non-)linear regression per outcome measurement: (1) orodental injury and (2) type of mouthguard.RESULTS: Out of 6585 players, 1299 (20%) responded sufficiently and were eligible for the study. In total, 214 hockey players (16%) experienced at least 1 orodental injury in their career. The injuries were less severe in athletes who wore a mouthguard during an accident than in those who did not, OR=2.1 to 3.3, p≤0.05. Players without mouthguard sustained broken and knocked out teeth more frequently, while players with a mouthguard had more lip cuts (p≤0.05). Players complained less about custom-made than about mouth-moulded mouthguards (p≤0.05). Also, males were more at risk for an orodental injury, OR=1.4 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.9), and were less likely to have a custom-made mouthguard, OR=0.7 (95% CI 0.6 to 0.9), than females.CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of field hockey players suffers from orodental injury. Mouthguards should be included in prevention strategies as they are associated with less severe injuries and patterns of injury are to be taken into account when targeting specific groups.

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doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-095677, hdl.handle.net/1765/98731
British Journal of Sports Medicine: an international peer-reviewed journal of sport and exercise medicine
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Vučić, S., Drost, R. W., Van Wijk, A. J., Wesselink, P. R., & Wolvius, E. (2016). Patterns of orodental injury and mouthguard use in Dutch field hockey. British Journal of Sports Medicine: an international peer-reviewed journal of sport and exercise medicine, 50(11), 661–668. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-095677