The Spanish Society for Periodontology and Osseointegration (SEPA) has recently done a metanalysis on the impact of oral health on sports performance and has been able to demonstrate that poor oral health negatively affects people when performing a sports activity.
This study, for which the F.C. Barcelona football players were taken as a sample, revealed that athletes with periodontal pockets and poor oral health suffered more muscle injuries than others. That is, infections in the mouth are related to muscle problems, tendinitis, or arthritis; conditions that not only produce pain, but limit the performance of athletes.
In addition to this study, University College of London examined the mouths of players from 8 professional football clubs in England and observed that they suffered from different oral conditions that affected them not only in their sports performance, but also in their private lives:
- 77% of the players who had the checkup had gingivitis.
- Approximately 50% suffered caries and dental erosion.
- More than 80% had irreversible periodontitis.
The importance of protecting our teeth in contact sports
In the category of contact sports, in which rugby, basketball, martial arts or hockey stand out, oral health is particularly vulnerable. When performing these sports, many athletes end up suffering a large amount of trauma, dislocations, and fractures. Quick intervention is needed as these can adversely affect performance.
In addition to these sports, there are others such as cycling or skiing in which, due to the high speeds that can be reached, there are a relatively large number of accidents that lead to trauma or loss of dental pieces.
That is why it is important that when practising any of these sports in which there is a real risk to our oral health, use some type of oral protection that can at least reduce the severity of a possible accident.
The most frequent oral complaints among athletes
In addition to the trauma, fractures, and dislocations that athletes may suffer in the mouth, there are other ailments that can affect them, resulting in a decrease in their sports performance. These include:
- Stress: This increases the chances of suffering bruxism and contractures.
- Dehydration: Saliva helps protect the mouth and it decreases when we exert ourselves during sports.
- Bacterial plaque: It is the main cause of caries and periodontal diseases and is especially common among athletes who exercise in swimming pools.
- Fractures: As we have already said, they mainly occur in contact sports, representing approximately 30% of all maxillofacial fractures.
- Periodontitis: This is related to muscle fatigue, an increased risk of contractures and, above all, a slower recovery from injuries that can greatly affectsports performance, especially in professional athletes.
- Diet: Due to the consumption of carbohydrates related to sports practice, many athletes have a higher risk of caries, dental erosion, and periodontal disease.
Get an annual dental checkup
Now that you have seen what the most frequent pathologies among athletes are and how they affect their performance, you probably understand that oral health is very important to help them avoid injuries and reduce pain. That is why it is essential that both professional athletes and amateurs take meticulous care of their oral health.
As our associates and experts in Dentistry, Centros de Calidad Dental state that it is important to have at least one dental checkup every year in order to know the state of your oral health and prevent a large number of oral diseases and complaints. Brushing your teeth after each meal is insufficient to protect you, so if you haven’t had your annual check-up yet, contact Centros de Calidad Dental now.