TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - Dental injuries in taekwondo athletes practicing in Saudi Arabia
JO  - Saudi medical journal
A1  - Aljohani, Yazan R.
A1  - Alfaifi, Khalid H.
A1  - Redwan, Samaa K.
A1  - Sabbahi, Dania A.
A1  - Zahran, Mohammed H.
SP  - 1143
EP  - 1147
VL  - 38
IS  - 11
N2  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence and awareness of taekwondo athletes in Saudi Arabia regarding oral and maxillofacial (OMF) injuries and their prevention. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire about the incidence and awareness of OMF injuries and their prevention was developed and distributed to taekwondo athletes in Saudi Arabia via their coaches.  Results: Sixty-eight responses were collected. The mean age of the participants was 29.3±9.1 years and 97% of them were males. Most of the participants (83%) believed that they are vulnerable to OMF injuries during practice. Approximately 23% of the participants reported a previous injury of the OMF area, while approximately 56% reported injuries in other areas. Most dental injuries (94%) were tooth fracture or displacement, while 6% were tooth avulsion. Eight participants (12%) were aware of the possibility of returning an avulsed tooth to its socket. More than 50% of those participants had inadequate knowledge on the appropriate storage media for the avulsed tooth or the maximum time allowed to return it to its socket. Eighty-one percent of the participants knew about the mouthguard, while 56% reported that they are actually using one. The most frequently reported barriers for not using a mouthguard during practice were difficulty in practicing with it, not being convinced of its importance, and lack of information where to get one. Conclusions: Most of the participants are aware of OMF injuries; however, their knowledge and behavior towards preventing and managing them are inadequate.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0379-5284
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.15537/smj.2017.11.21111
ID  - ref1
ER  -