Modifiable Risk Factors Related to Oral Diseases in Youth Cuban Baseball Sportsmen

Oral health care closes the cycle of medical assistance integrated with sports, becoming a specialized service of great value in Cuba; however, oral diseases in young athletes are very frequent. For effective prevention, it is necessary to know the modifiable risk factors related to these diseases.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between risk factors and oral diseases in baseball sportsmen from the sports initiation school of Villa Clara, Cuba.

A descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study was carried out in the young baseball athletes (N=60) of the 15U (n=30) and 18U (n=30) divisions (M=15.33; SD=1.49). Data were analyzed using empirical frequency distribution and descriptive statistics. Data normality was tested using asymmetry, kurtosis, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. U Mann-Whitney test was used to determine differences in the risk factors and oral diseases between divisions, and the Tau_b Kendall correlation coefficient was used to determine relationships between both groups of variables.

Improper tooth brushing, cariogenic diet, and inefficient oral hygiene were the main risk factors, while dental caries, gingivitis, and malocclusions were the oral diseases most notable. Athletes of higher division have greater toxic habits and a cariogenic diet; however, they brush more frequently and have more efficient oral hygiene. Except for the presence of malocclusions, the rest of the conditions are related to the determined risk factors.

The knowledge about the relationship between risk factors and oral conditions allows to base the design of educational intervention actions focused on the promotion of adequate oral health behaviors in the athletes, which shows the relevance of odontology in sports.