Citation

Stewart GB, Shields BJ, Fields S, Dawn Comstock R, Smith GA. Dent. Traumatol. 2009; 25(4): 399-405.

Affiliation

Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1600-9657.2009.00800.x

PMID

19614738

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Describe the association of consumer products and activities with dental injuries among children 0-17 years of age treated in United States emergency departments. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 1990-2003. RESULTS: There was an average of 22 000 dental injuries annually among children <18 years of age during the study period, representing an average annual rate of 31.6 dental injuries per 100 000 population. Children with primary dentition (<7 years) sustained over half of the dental injuries recorded, and products/activities associated with home structures/furniture were the leading contributors. Floors, steps, tables, and beds were the consumer products within the home most associated with dental injuries. Outdoor recreational products/activities were associated with the largest number of dental injuries among children with mixed dentition (7-12 years); almost half of these were associated with the bicycle, which was the consumer product associated with the largest number of dental injuries. Among children with permanent teeth (13- to 17-year olds), sports-related products/activities were associated with the highest number of dental injuries. Of all sports, baseball and basketball were associated with the largest number of dental injuries. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate dental injuries among children using a national sample. We identified the leading consumer products/activities associated with dental injuries to children with primary, mixed, and permanent dentition. Knowledge of these consumer products/activities allows for more focused and effective prevention strategies.

Language: en