Dental injuries in younger emergency department patients

Dental trauma is a relatively common occurrence in childhood, with an impact exceeding that of periodontal diseases. It places a significant burden on the public health system because of its high frequency, impact on quality of life and consumption of resources.

To identify changing trends of dental injury in patients between 0-18 years of age in Canada and provide a detailed assessment of dental injury patterns in patients attending a large pediatric tertiary care hospital.

This retrospective study was carried out in two parts. Firstly, data from patients who presented to the emergency departments of the 15 Canadian hospitals involved in the Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) from 1st January 1990 to 31st December 2013 was collected. Secondly, at the Hospital for Sick Children, charts of patients identified from the aforementioned database from the years 2008, 2012 and 2015 were accessed for additional clinical data.

Based on CHIRPP data there appears to be an increasing incidence in dental injuries presenting to emergency departments nationally. Participation in sports and cycling contributed to the majority of dental injuries. The use of safety equipment such as helmets with a face-grill and mouth-guard was low.

Our study demonstrates a rising incidence of dental injuries in young patients. Most dental injuries occurred during sports and playground related activities. The low rate of use of safety equipment and playground safety measures suggests that Canadian Standards Association standards for playgrounds could be more effective if strengthened by mandatory legislation.