Dental Trauma Prevention and Injury Measures Among Supervisors of German Elite Handball Teams: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES

Dental trauma is a frequent injury in contact sports such as handball an basketball. This study aimed to evaluate preventive measures in dental traumatology and assess the knowledge of medical teams in elite German handball and basketball.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From March to June 2024, supervisors of 1st and 2nd German Bundesliga handball (HB) and basketball (BB) teams were invited via email to complete an online questionnaire (Socey Survey). The survey addressed preventive measures, management of dental and dentoalveolar trauma, the importance of education, and behavioral guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 31 of 165 supervisors participated (response rate 19%; HB: 42% [n = 28], BB: 3% [n = 3]). Analyses focused on HB due to the limited number of BB responses. Most HB supervisors (82%) reported checking tetanus immunization status. Although 39% recommended sports mouthguards, only 15% of players used them. During the 2022/2023 season, 29% of HB teams reported at least one dental trauma. Although 96% recognized the need for immediate dental care in pulp-involved trauma, only 64% were aware of dental rescue boxes, and 46% lacked one on the pitch. Clear differences were observed between leagues: 82% of 1st Bundesliga teams had a rescue box compared to 11% in the 2nd Bundesliga. Mouthguard use was also more common in the 1st Bundesliga.

CONCLUSIONS

In elite German handball, dental trauma prevention focuses primarily on tetanus vaccination, whereas sports mouthguards and dental rescue boxes receive less attention. Targeted education and awareness campaigns for coaches and players may improve the prevention, management, and treatment of dental injuries.