Perceptions regarding the occurrence and prevention of orofacial injuries during general anesthesia

Orofacial trauma can occur during general anesthesia. Protective measures should be taken to prevent or minimize such injuries. We evaluated perceptions regarding the occurrence and prevention of orofacial injuries during general anesthesia among 74 professionals who perform this procedure. All participants were from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and information was collected in interviews, using a semi-structured questionnaire administered during an academic conference. The data were tabulated and analyzed, frequencies were calculated, and the chi-square test (P < 0.05) was used to assess relationships between variables of interest. Most participants (77.0%) had witnessed orofacial trauma during general anesthesia, and the most frequent type of dental injury was fracture (54.4%). Although most participants (64.9%) considered mouthguard use to be important during such procedures, only three reported using mouthguards to protect against patient injury. The likelihood of a dentist referral after injury was significantly associated with participant age (P = 0.03), length of time since graduation (P = 0.02), and area of specialization (P ≤ 0.01). Although most participants had witnessed orofacial injuries, mouthguards were not routinely used for injury prevention.