Spinas E, Aresu M, Giannetti L
Dental Prosthetic Division, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
Eur J Paediatr Dent. 2014 Dec;15(4):392-6.
This study aims at ascertaining the capacity of 2 groups of young athletes to be faithful to the initial oral prevention project, with the difference that the study group received motivational reminders by either researchers and technical staff members of the team during the observation period, while the control group did not receive any motivational reminders.
This observational study was based on two groups selected from a wide group of 150 adolescent basketball players who accepted to use a custom-made mouth guard during their sport sessions. None of the selected athletes (60 adolescents aged between 12 and 15 years) had ever worn a mouth guard during their sports activity. A customised mouth guard was supplied, and subjetcs were requested to wear it for 12 months during training sessions and competitions. The study group was composed of 30 athletes, 15 males and 15 females, who received a constant motivational reinforcement to the use of the mouth guard by their coach and during checkups. Similarly, the control group was composed of 30 athletes (15 males and 15 females) who did not receive any motivational reinforcement.
Twelve months after the beginning of the study, 24 subjects belonging to the control group were not using the mouth guard, while only 7 subjects of the study group were not using it. It was also noticed, six months after the beginning of the observation period, a rapid decline in the participants' interest in the use of the mouth guard.
No traumatic event was registered among those adolescents who had used the mouth guard for the whole period of the study. Female athletes showed greater compliance to this prevention project. It is important that all technical staff members, and particularly the leading coach, encourage the regular use of oral protection devices for prevention among teenagers practicing sports.
本研究旨在确定两组年轻运动员坚持初始口腔预防项目的能力，不同之处在于，研究组在观察期内接受研究人员和团队技术人员的激励提醒，而对照组未接受任何激励提醒。
本观察性研究基于从150名青少年篮球运动员中选出的两组，这些运动员同意在体育活动中使用定制的护齿器。所选运动员（60名年龄在12至15岁之间的青少年）在体育活动中均未佩戴过护齿器。提供了定制的护齿器，并要求受试者在训练课程和比赛期间佩戴12个月。研究组由30名运动员组成，其中15名男性和15名女性，他们在教练指导和检查期间不断得到使用护齿器的激励强化。同样，对照组由30名运动员（15名男性和15名女性）组成，他们未接受任何激励强化。
研究开始12个月后，对照组中有24名受试者未使用护齿器，而研究组中只有7名受试者未使用。在观察期开始6个月后还注意到，参与者对使用护齿器的兴趣迅速下降。
在整个研究期间使用护齿器的青少年中未记录到创伤事件。女运动员对该预防项目的依从性更高。所有技术人员，尤其是主教练，鼓励青少年运动员定期使用口腔保护装置进行预防非常重要。
