Consumer products and activities associated with dental injuries to children treated in United States emergency departments, 1990-2003.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Describe the association of consumer products and activities with dental injuries among children 0-17 years of age treated in United States emergency departments. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 1990-2003. RESULTS: There was an average of 22 000 dental injuries annually among children <18 years of age during the study period, representing an average annual rate of 31.6 dental injuries per 100 000 population. Children with primary dentition (<7 years) sustained over half of the dental injuries recorded, and products/activities associated with home structures/furniture were the leading contributors. Floors, steps, tables, and beds were the consumer products within the home most associated with dental injuries. Outdoor recreational products/activities were associated with the largest number of dental injuries among children with mixed dentition (7-12 years); almost half of these were associated with the bicycle, which was the consumer product associated with the largest number of dental injuries. Among children with permanent teeth (13- to 17-year olds), sports-related products/activities were associated with the highest number of dental injuries. Of all sports, baseball and basketball were associated with the largest number of dental injuries. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate dental injuries among children using a national sample. We identified the leading consumer products/activities associated with dental injuries to children with primary, mixed, and permanent dentition. Knowledge of these consumer products/activities allows for more focused and effective prevention strategies.

Author information

Author/s: Stewart, Gregory B (GB); Shields, Brenda J (BJ); Fields, Sarah (S); Comstock, R Dawn (RD); Smith, Gary A (GA);

Affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Dental traumatology : official publication of International Association for Dental Traumatology (Dent Traumatol), published in Denmark. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 25 (issue 4) : pp 399-405

Dates: Created 2009/07/20; Completed 2009/08/20;

PMID: 19614738, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/21/2009, IMS Date: )

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