The Incidence of Oral Injury Before and After Wearing Mouthguards in Rugby.

Objective: This study investigated the incidence of oral injury before and after wearing mouthguards in rugby football. Methods: Since 2004, we have been providing custom-made mouthguards (CMG) to an adult rugby team and mandated CMG usage during matches and full-contact practice. In the present study, the number of players who missed more than 1 day of practice due to external force injury or spontaneous injury and those who stopped participating in a practice session due to external force injury or spontaneous injury was recorded. The incidence of injuries before and after mandatory CMG usage was also statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 161 injuries occurred over a 2-year period before mandatory CMG usage, of which 12 were oral injuries. A total of 391 injuries occurred over a 5-year period after mandatory CMG usage, of which only three were oral injuries. When compared to before mandatory CMG usage, the number of oral injuries had significantly decreased (p<0.01). Conclusion: In rugby football, mandatory CMG usage during matches and practice significantly lowered the incidence of oral injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]