Knapik Joseph J, Hoedebecke Blake L, Mitchener Timothy A
J Spec Oper Med. 2020 Fall;20(3):114-116. doi: 10.55460/IFCD-6D3A.
This is second of a two-part series on the history and effectiveness of mouthguards (MGs) for protection from orofacial injuries. MGs are hypothesized to reduce orofacial injuries by separating the upper and lower dentation, preventing tooth fractures, redistributing and absorbing the force of direct blows to the mouth, and separating teeth from soft tissue which helps prevent lacerations and bruises. The single study on MG use in military training found that when boil-and-bite MGs were required for four training activities, orofacial injury rates were reduced 56% compared with when MGs were required for just one training activity. A recent systematic review on the effectiveness of MGs for prevention of orofacial injuries included 23 studies involving MG users and nonusers and a wide variety of sports. For cohort studies that directly collected injury data, the risk of an orofacial injury was 2.33 times higher among MG nonusers (95% confidence interval, 1.59-3.44). More well-designed studies are needed on the effectiveness of MGs during military training. Despite some methodological limitations, the current data suggest that MGs can substantially reduce the risk of orofacial injuries in sport activities. MGs should be used in activities where there is a significant risk of orofacial injuries.
这是关于护齿器（MGs）预防口腔颌面部损伤的历史与效果的系列文章的第二篇。据推测，护齿器可通过分离上下牙列、防止牙齿骨折、重新分配和吸收直接打击口腔的力量，以及使牙齿与软组织分离（有助于防止撕裂伤和瘀伤）来减少口腔颌面部损伤。一项关于在军事训练中使用护齿器的研究发现，当四项训练活动都要求使用煮沸咬合式护齿器时，与仅一项训练活动要求使用护齿器相比，口腔颌面部损伤率降低了56%。最近一项关于护齿器预防口腔颌面部损伤效果的系统评价纳入了23项涉及护齿器使用者和非使用者以及多种运动的研究。对于直接收集损伤数据的队列研究，护齿器非使用者发生口腔颌面部损伤的风险高出2.33倍（95%置信区间，1.59 - 3.44）。关于军事训练期间护齿器效果还需要更多设计良好的研究。尽管存在一些方法学上的局限性，但目前的数据表明护齿器可大幅降低体育活动中口腔颌面部损伤的风险。在存在显著口腔颌面部损伤风险的活动中应使用护齿器。
