DT News - UK - Simple oral health measures could improve athletes’ performance

Dental Tribune International

Wed. 15 October 2014

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LONDON, UK: British dental researchers have published a consensus statement that aims to raise awareness of oral health issues in sport. Through a review of almost 40 studies on the topic, they found that, owing to intense dietary and training pressure, oral health was consistently poor in elite athletes. However, encouraging better oral health care routines could help improve their oral health status and performance as well.

The current findings are in line with those of a number of studies that have reported poor oral health in elite athletes since the 1968 Olympic Games, even though many oral diseases are preventable. The researchers have thus called for strategies for prevention and health promotion in this population.

In the review, it was observed that 15–75 per cent of athletes had dental caries, up to 15 per cent had moderate to severe periodontitis, 36–85 per cent had dental erosion and 5–39 per cent had infected or impacted third molars. In addition, dental trauma was reported by 14–57 per cent of athletes in at-risk sports.

According to the researchers, there are many potential challenges to the oral health of athletes, including nutrition, oral dehydration, exercise-induced immune suppression, a lack of awareness, negative health behaviours and a lack of prioritisation. In a survey at the London 2012 Olympic Games, 18 per cent of athletes reported that oral health had a negative impact on their performance and 46.5 per cent had not been to the dentist in the previous year.

The researchers recommended that athletes use a high-fluoride toothpaste and a mouthrinse to improve oral health, and consume water or hypotonic drinks instead of acidic energy drinks, which may contribute to erosion and dental caries. In addition to improved brushing and flossing, such simple measures could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapy, they suggested.

Finally, the consensus statement calls for sport funders and policy organisations to take the lead in ensuring that athletes’ oral health is regularly assessed by a dental professional to allow for personalised prevention plans and early treatment of disease.

The study, “Oral health and elite sport performance”, was published online on 28 September in the British Journal of Sports Medicine ahead of print. It was conducted by researchers at University College London.

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