Awareness about Dental Injuries Associated with Contact Sports and Use of Mouthguards in Young Trainees Playing Khokho, Kabaddi and Football in Bhubaneswar City: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Dental trauma sustained while participating in sports is the main element that connects dentistry and sports. Sports involving frequent physical contact with other athletes increase the risk of dentofacial injuries. This association underscores the importance of preventive measures, with well-fitted athletic mouthguards identified as a key intervention to mitigate the risk of dentofacial injuries. Aim: To assess awareness about sports-related dental injuries and mouthguard use among young trainees in three contact sports-khokho, kabaddi, and football. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2023 to July 2023, which included 226 young trainees from the Government College of Physical Education, Bhubaneswar, engaged in football, kabaddi, and khokho. Data was collected using a self-structured questionnaire and were subjected to analysis employing the Chi-square test. Sports-related dental injury was assessed using the Traumatic Dental Injury codes of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Oral Health Assessment Form for Adults, 2013. Results: Eight (8.3%) football players had the highest incidence of upper left central incisor enamel fracture, as determined by the dental injury codes. The majority of the trainees, 206 (91.2%), were aware of what a mouthguard is. However, 135 (59.7%) agreed that mouthguard use should be mandatory during sports practice. A p-value