Prevalence of facial trauma in contact sports practitioners in the Federal District of Brazil

Aims: The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of oral and dentoalveolar trauma among contact sports practitioners in the Federal District of Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using a questionnaire developed specifically for this research regarding the occurrence of facial trauma, site of injuries, how they occurred, the approach is taken to solve the problem, and the use of several types of mouthguards. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 software, and the chi-square test (X2) was chosen to examine the differences between categorical variables. The results were considered statistically significant for p<0.05. Results: A total of 141 athletes were interviewed, with a prevalence of facial trauma of 65.2%, which was higher in professional athletes (71.1%). Lesions ranged from soft tissue lacerations to combined trauma; and the most frequent injuries were soft tissue laceration (53.3%), combined trauma (16.3%), and dental fracture (9.8%). Only 20.6% of the participants required treatment for related injuries. Regarding the use of mouthguards, 34% of the athletes reported regular use of this device, and Type II mouthguard was the most used (39.7%). Dentists participate in the process of production and dissemination of mouthguards in 17.1% and 10.5% of cases, respectively. Conclusion: The data showed that most athletes are not aware of the importance of using mouthguards. The dentist must be more present in the area of sports dentistry, both for awareness and production of these devices, which support the safe practice of contact sports.