The moon and its relationship to oral and maxillofacial emergencies

Objective: To study the relationship between the full moon and oral and maxillofacial emergencies. Study design: Retrospective analysis of 2416 referrals to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, St. Bartholomews and The Royal London Hospital, London, over a 16-month period (17 lunar months). Frequency distributions were used to assess emergency workload during the week of the full moon. Results: There was a rise in referrals in the latter part of the 7-day period surrounding the full moon. There was a persistent reduction in emergency workload in the 3-day period leading up to the full moon. The results approach but do not reach significance. Conclusions: The effect of the moon on oral and maxillofacial referrals cannot be proven.