title: Prevalence of Traumatic Dental Injuries to Anterior Teeth of 12-Year-Old School Children in Kashmir, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traumatic dental injuries to anterior teeth are a significant public health problem, not only because their prevalence is relatively high, but also because they have considerable impact on children's daily lives. Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) cause physical and psychological discomfort, pain and other negative impacts, such as tendency to avoid laughing or smiling, which can affect social relationships.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries to anterior teeth among 12-year-old school children in Kashmir, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in private and government schools of India among 1600 schoolchildren aged 12 years. In addition to recording of the type of trauma (using Ellis and Davey classification of fractures, 1970), over jet, Angle's molar relation and lip competence were also recorded. The socioeconomic status and academic performance of the study subjects were registered. The data obtained were compiled systematically and then statistically analyzed. The statistical significance for the association between the traumatic injury and the variables was analyzed using the chi-square test. Logistic regression was used to identify potential risk predictors of TDIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of TDI to anterior teeth was found to be 9.3%. The TDI to anterior teeth in male was more than female, but the difference was statistically nonsignificant (P < 0.01). Falls and sports were the most common causes of trauma in the present study. The highest potential risk factor for the occurrence of trauma was over jet. Academic performance was found to be significantly associated to TDI to anterior teeth, when analyzed in a multiple regression model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries was 9.3%. Traumatic dental injuries among children exhibit complex interaction between the victims' oral conditions and their behavior. Therefore, prevention should consider a number of characteristics such as oral predisposing factors, environmental determinants and human behavior. It is recommended that specific and proper public places for leisure and sports activities, with impact-absorbing surfaces around the items on which children are most likely to fall, should be provided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Tasneem S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Ain
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Ravishankar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lingesha Telgi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pedodontics, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Saima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tangade
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pedodontics, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Chaitra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ravishankar Telgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tirth
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar Pal
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Owais
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gowhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, India.
authors.forename: Vaibhav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tandon
keywords: Risks; Schools; Traumatic Dental Injuries