Motivators and barriers to mouthguard compliance by adult Gaelic football athletes
PLOS One
School of Health and Human Performance
Abstract
Dental injuries contribute to 57% of reported maxillofacial injuries in Gaelic Football, with associated psychological and economic impacts on the affected athletes. Mouthguards have been developed in efforts to mitigate the incidence and severity of dental injuries, and use is mandatory in Gaelic Football. Dental claims have reduced by over 50% since mouthguards became mandatory, but costs of dental injuries are still prevalent. The aim of this study was to determine the mouthguard compliance rates in adult Gaelic Football players, as well as the motivations and barriers to compliance.