[Prevention of dental trauma]. / Preventie van dentaal trauma.

Dental trauma is for people under 25 years of age a larger threat than caries and periodontal diseases. Protrusion of the upper front teeth in youth should therefore be corrected by orthodontic treatment. By doing contact-sports the use of the mouth guard is necessary. Since several different types are available, one has to make a correct choice specified by the kind of sport. The statement that it is more important to use an apparatus than just to own it sounds logically, but is often not followed in daily live.

[Facial and tooth injuries during the practice of sports]. / Aangezichts--en gebitsletsels bij sportbeoefening.

The value of mouth protectors in the prevention of facial and dental injuries was investigated in seven different sports. 5300 sportsmen filled in a written questionnaire. The replies provided information on the number of facial and dental injuries that occur annually in the Netherlands. The use of mouth protectors was also recorded.

Dental and facial injuries in international field hockey.

In many respects international sportsmen are trendsetters for the behaviour of recreational sportsmen. For this reason the attitude of international hockey players towards mouth protectors was studied. The possession and use of mouth protectors vary markedly between different countries. The incidence of dental-facial traumas among international field hockey players is high; 54% had sustained injuries necessitating a visit to a physician and/or a dentist. Of these victims 20% sustained serious dental damage at least once (women 16% and men 22%). Only 20% of the international players wear a mouth protector consistently during training and matches. Women use the apparatus almost twice as much as men. The main argument in rejecting a mouth protector is that it is not felt to be necessary.