Oral impalement injuries by a toothbrush in children

Objective

To elucidate the details of impalement injuries of the oral soft tissue in children caused by toothbrush, we present a clinico-statistical study of those encountered in a single institution.

Patients and methods

Children below 13 years old, who visited our oral surgery clinic with the complaint of an impalement injury of oral soft tissue from December of 2001 to August of 2008, were included.

Results

Among two hundred and thirty oral soft tissue injuries, toothbrush (73 cases) was the most frequent object, followed by a stick-like object (51 cases) and eating utensils (27 cases). In toothbrush injuries, the 1-year-olds were most affected and the frequency in boys and girls was 30 cases and 43 cases, respectively. Soft palate (31 cases) was the most frequent site, followed by buccal mucosa (17 cases) and gingiva (7 cases). All of the injuries occurred when the children were in standing position and a fall was the most frequent cause (p < 0.01). Most injuries occurred between 21:00 and 24:00 (35 cases) followed by 18:00 to 21:00 (23 cases). In cases with a laceration that was larger than 10 mm (26 cases), 7 cases were hospitalized the next day for advanced infection.

Conclusion

Toothbrush was the most frequent object responsible for impalement injuries. Caution must be taken while managing a toothbrush injury with a wide laceration to avoid advanced infection. To prevent toothbrush injuries, we recommend that children should use a toothbrush in sitting position.