World Trauma Day: More deaths than AIDS, TB or malaria for under-45s

Traumatic injuries account for more deaths of people under 45 than malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined.

In addition, more than 9% of deaths worldwide are caused by traumatic injuries.

And yet, about 5 million people die each year from car accident injuries.

The above information is provided by the Hellenic Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, on the occasion of October 17th, World Trauma Day. The goal of World Trauma Day is to inform and raise awareness about trauma as well as to educate the public on ways to deal with (and prevent) traumatic incidents that often lead to some form of disability or even death.

“A distinct place among traumatic injuries is occupied by cranio-maxillofacial injuries, most of which are the result of external violence, mainly after traffic accidents, accidents at the workplace, violence and fights, accidents at home, as well as accidents in sports and sports in general activities”, reports the Hellenic Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The Company even speaks of an almost vertical increase in oral and maxillofacial injuries during the last decade in our country.

The decalogue for the prevention of craniomaxillofacial trauma

With an emphasis on the value of prevention, the Hellenic Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery has drawn up the following decalogue, with practices to avoid craniomaxillofacial injuries:

1. Protective mouth splint – absolutely necessary in any sports activity that involves close physical contact between participating athletes (football, basketball, volleyball, etc.).

2. Helmet – absolutely necessary for bicyclists, cyclists as well as athletes of specific sports (wrestling, boxing, martial arts, ice or field hockey, etc.).

3. Protective equipment for the eyes – necessary for athletes of certain sports (Basketball, hockey, etc.).

4. Protective face covering (face mask) – necessary to prevent abrasions and lacerations that sometimes occur on the pitches and playing fields.

5. Increased level of alertness and preparedness.

6. Child-friendly home environment – use of necessary protective measures in places of the house (tables, cupboards, doors, sharp corners on walls, stairs), which could become dangerous for small children.

7. Be careful with pets (dogs, cats, etc.). Every year in the U.S. about 44,000 people suffer facial injuries from dog bites. Young children should always be supervised when playing with pets such as dogs, cats, etc.

8. Safety belts when driving cars, which should be used by both the driver and the other passengers. Especially when parents are transporting their children by car, they should use the special child safety belts.

9. Necessary protective equipment for all young children, who either engage in street games or participate in sports in organized sports venues.

10. Health care advice and instructions regarding the prevention of oral and maxillofacial injuries from medical specialists (dentists, pediatric dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, etc.).

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