Sports-related dental injuries and oral health status among Malaysian para-athletes: A cross-sectional study

• Published in: Special Care in Dentistry
• Main Author: Othman N.H.; Rajali A.; Zulkifeli N.R.N.; Shaharuddin I.M.; Hussein K.H.; Hassan M.I.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley and Sons Inc 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85152921209&doi=10.1111%2fscd.12858&partnerID=40&md5=257bc12f465b5a464a4706fb4972c408

Background: Athletes with disabilities may be at an even greater risk of orofacial trauma than their counterparts, and the risk may vary depending on the type of sports. This study aimed to assess the incidence of sports-related dental injuries and oral health status among Malaysian para-athletes. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess self-reported dental injuries and knowledge of their management. An intraoral examination was performed using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index following the World Health Organization guidelines. Results: A total of 61 para-athletes (men = 90.16%, n = 55; women = 9.84%, n = 6) from different sports categories with different disabilities randomly participated in this study. The incidence of self-reported dental injuries was 18.0% (n = 11), with the most common injury being crown tooth fracture (72.7%) and lip laceration (63.6%). However, the majority of the athletes (70.5%, n = 43) did nothing after experiencing dental trauma, and 82.0% (n = 50) were unaware of the immediate management of dental trauma. Based on the intraoral examination, only 9.8% (n = 6) of the athletes had perfectly sound teeth. The mean total DMFT index was 3.49 ± 2.371, while the mean DMFT index for decayed, missing, and filled teeth was 1.28 ± 1.293, 0.74 ± 0.705, and 1.48 ± 1.120, respectively. The mean DMFT index for decayed, missing, and filled teeth and total DMFT index significantly differed among the types of disabilities (P <.05) but not between the sexes (P >.05). Conclusion: The most commonly reported injuries among para-athletes are crown tooth fractures and lip lacerations. The total DMFT index among para-athletes is moderate, emphasising the need for improvements. © 2023 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals LLC.