Poor oral hygiene severely impacts training and athletic performance
If they want to win, oral health needs to be a top priority for elite and amateur athletes alike.
FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) couldn’t agree more. With the summer sports season in full swing, the organization released a series of sports dentistry resources for amateur and elite athletes, sports medicine physicians, and sports organizations.
Oral injury or trauma are not the only dental dilemmas that arise while practicing sports:
- Sports-related stress can lead to dehydration, dry mouth, and teeth-grinding.
- Energy beverages and certain foods and supplements contain added sugars and acidic ingredients, which can cause caries and increase the risk of gum disease and tooth erosion.
- A dental emergency – such as a gum abscess, infected tooth, or wisdom tooth eruption – before an athletic competition can impair performance or even prevent the athlete from participating at all.
"A healthy mouth contributes to a healthy body. Poor oral health can have disastrous effects on overall health and athletic performance. We want to build upon this understanding and make sure it’s part of the conversation between oral health professionals and their patients."
Ignoring oral health impacts athletic performance in several significant ways:
- Poor oral health affects quality of life and well-being, two key elements for strong athletic performance.
- Tooth decay and gum disease can cause or maintain inflammations and infections in the body.
- Some athletes are also at an increased risk for oral and dental trauma and injuries when practicing contact and combat sports without proper protection.
FDI recommends wearing a mouthguard (custom-made is best) when engaging in contact sports, even if the sport is practiced occasionally. FDI also advises athletes to brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste; visit the dentist at least once a year; counteract the effects of acidic and sugary energy foods and drinks by rinsing with water afterwards; and opt for water to stay hydrated throughout the day.
"We are proud to work with FDI to actively address athletes’ oral health needs. These resources will be shared widely with athletes, trainers, and health professionals to promote oral health and good oral hygiene practices for superior athletic performance."
“We are proud to work with FDI to actively address athletes’ oral health needs,” said Marzia Massignani, senior manager of scientific affairs and corporate communications at Sunstar. “These resources will be shared widely with athletes, trainers, and health professionals to promote oral health and good oral hygiene practices for superior athletic performance.”
Find out more...
Whether athletes practice their sport as a hobby or professionally, their oral health is an important element of their general health and impacts their athletic performance.
Toolkit for sports organizations
Guidelines for dentists and sports medicine physicians
