Citation

Onyeaso CO. J. Natl. Med. Assoc. 2004; 96(2): 240-245.

Affiliation

Department of Preventive Dentistry, College of Medicine/University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. coonyeaso@yahoo.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, National Medical Association (USA))

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14977285

PMCID

PMC2594960

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of mouthguard awareness and use, as well as the amount and type of oro-facial trauma associated with and without mouthguard wear in adolescent Nigerian athletes. A 13-item self-completion questionnaire was completed and returned by 1,127 secondary school athletes (completion rate of 93.9%) comprising 683 (60.6%) males and 444 (39.4%) females ranging in age from 12- to 19 years (mean age 15.18+/-2.97 SD). The athletes were randomly drawn from 23 secondary schools located in different parts of Ibadan city in Nigeria. Sixty-five-and-a-third percent of the athletes professed awareness of the need for mouthguards for sports, but only 19.6% claimed usage of the device. Thirty-four-and-a-half percent of the athletes reported having sustained one form of oro-facial injury or the other previously. The prevalence of oro-facial injuries was significantly lower while wearing a mouthguard (p<0.05), and most of the injuries occurred during contact sports. The study supports the need for the enforcement of mandatory mouthguard use in contact sports.