Dental Barotrauma in French Military Divers: Results of the POP Study
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the POP (odontological problems among divers) study was to assess dental barotrauma among French military divers exposed to an underwater environment.
METHODS: A questionnaire on dental barotrauma was completed by the divers who presented at the SMHEP (Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine and Diving Expertise) for their quadrennial medical exam from March 2011 to July 2014.
RESULTS: There were 1317 questionnaires completed, representing 60.6% of all French military divers. A total of 5.3% of divers had a dental barotrauma (70/1317), mainly fracture and/or loss of dental restoration. Dental barotrauma disrupted diving in 34.3% of cases. A total of 76.4% of divers were informed by a military physician of the importance of maintaining good oral health and 88.5% of divers consult their dentist at least once a year. Of the participants, 82.5% made their dentist aware they are divers, but only 4.9% of the dental practitioners advised their patient not to dive after some types of dental treatments and 12.8% indicated that, as divers, they need adapted dental treatments.
CONCLUSIONS: Dental barotrauma was experienced by 1 in 19 military divers. Nevertheless, a contradiction exists between the frequency of dental barotraumas and the rigorous medical and dental follow-up of military divers. We note that there is inadequate dental management of divers when dental issues are identified. To avoid this unsatisfactory situation, “diving dentistry” should be taught to military and civilian dentists and physicians to make them aware of the potential dental complications and preventive measures associated with operating in a subaquatic environment.
Gunepin M, Derache F, Dychter L, Blatteau J-E, Nakdimon I, Zadik Y. Dental barotrauma in French military divers: results of the POP study. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015; 86(7):652–655.
METHODS: A questionnaire on dental barotrauma was completed by the divers who presented at the SMHEP (Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine and Diving Expertise) for their quadrennial medical exam from March 2011 to July 2014.
RESULTS: There were 1317 questionnaires completed, representing 60.6% of all French military divers. A total of 5.3% of divers had a dental barotrauma (70/1317), mainly fracture and/or loss of dental restoration. Dental barotrauma disrupted diving in 34.3% of cases. A total of 76.4% of divers were informed by a military physician of the importance of maintaining good oral health and 88.5% of divers consult their dentist at least once a year. Of the participants, 82.5% made their dentist aware they are divers, but only 4.9% of the dental practitioners advised their patient not to dive after some types of dental treatments and 12.8% indicated that, as divers, they need adapted dental treatments.
CONCLUSIONS: Dental barotrauma was experienced by 1 in 19 military divers. Nevertheless, a contradiction exists between the frequency of dental barotraumas and the rigorous medical and dental follow-up of military divers. We note that there is inadequate dental management of divers when dental issues are identified. To avoid this unsatisfactory situation, “diving dentistry” should be taught to military and civilian dentists and physicians to make them aware of the potential dental complications and preventive measures associated with operating in a subaquatic environment.
Gunepin M, Derache F, Dychter L, Blatteau J-E, Nakdimon I, Zadik Y. Dental barotrauma in French military divers: results of the POP study. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015; 86(7):652–655.
Keywords: dental barotrauma; diving; diving dentistry; prevention
Document Type: Short Communication
Publication date: 01 July 2015
- This journal (formerly Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine), representing the members of the Aerospace Medical Association, is published monthly for those interested in aerospace medicine and human performance. It is devoted to serving and supporting all who explore, travel, work, or live in hazardous environments ranging from beneath the sea to the outermost reaches of space. The original scientific articles in this journal provide the latest available information on investigations into such areas as changes in ambient pressure, motion sickness, increased or decreased gravitational forces, thermal stresses, vision, fatigue, circadian rhythms, psychological stress, artificial environments, predictors of success, health maintenance, human factors engineering, clinical care, and others. This journal also publishes notes on scientific news and technical items of interest to the general reader, and provides teaching material and reviews for health care professionals.
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