Comparison of dental injuries and mouthguard uses in three styles of martial arts : karate, taekwondo and jiu-jitsu

Abstract EN

Objectives: Dental injuries associated with martial art are a problem that is not well studied in Jordan.

The se of this study is to study the risk of dental injury in three commonly practiced martial art styles (Karate, Taekwondo and Jiu-jitsu), as well as to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of participants to dental trauma and associated emergency, also to study the prevalence of mouth guard uses by participants.

Method: A total of 250 children and youngsters, 167 boys and 83 girls aged 5-20 years, from three different sports ( karate (n = 100), taekwondo (n = 90), and Jiu-jitsu (n = 60) participated in this study, conducted in three sports clubs in Amman Jordan in the march 2018.

A standardized questionnaire about history of sports-related dental trauma was used.

Questions were also asked about participant’s attitude toward sports related trauma and the actual use of a mouth guard.

Results: Dental injury had been experienced by 18% of participant.

The most common style of martial arts with dental injuries was taekwondo, with rates of 30 %( 27\90), Karate 12 %( 12\100), and jiu-jitsu 10 %( 6\60).

The main type of dental injuries was crown fractures 46.7 %; teeth displaced 37.8 % and tooth avulsions 15.6% (7/45).

About first aid, participants are preferred Public Dental Service for management of dental injury 46.67%.

Only 57 participants 26.8% were aware of the possibility of returning an avulsed tooth to its socket.

And 72.8% of participants had inadequate knowledge about the appropriate storage media for the avulsed tooth.

Majority of the participants 69.2 % knew about the mouth guard, mainly through the club 75.7% while only 34.8 % of participant reported that they use it during sports.

The greatest numbers of participant use mouth guard during sports seen in taekwondo, with rates of 39.1%, Karate 37.9% and jiu-jitsu 23 %.

Conclusion: The present study revealed inadequate knowledge of sport participants regarding emergency procedures in case of dental injuries and the importance of mouthguards to prevent sports related dental injuries.