Researchers examined the oral health of nearly 300 athletes in 25 sports at the 2012 Olympics in London. They looked for conditions such as dental caries, gingivitis, dental erosion, and periodontal disease, and asked about recent visits to a dentist. Their conclusion were that “Poor oral health is an important issue directly as it can cause pain, negative effects on appearance and psychosocial effects on confidence and quality of life and may have long-term consequences for treatment burden. Self-reported evidence also suggests an impact on training and performance of athletes. There are many potential challenges to the oral health of athletes including nutritional, oral dehydration, exercise-induced immune suppression, lack of awareness, negative health behaviours and lack of prioritisation. However, in theory, oral diseases are preventable by simple interventions with good evidence of efficacy.” The study concluded that poor oral health and fewer dental visits led to interference with preparation for competition.

Unfortunately, merely taking good care of your teeth may not turn you into an Olympic gold medalist. However, the benefits from taking care of your teeth, can still be worthwhile even if healthy teeth provide little if any detectable gain in your athletic abilities. The potential benefits of maintaining a healthy mouth clearly goes far beyond an attractive smile and is an integral part of maintaining your physical health, and may contribute to achieving an advantage over your athletic opponents.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Kaufman or to call today Tooronga Family Dentistry, phone number 98227006, for more information about how to care for your teeth or to make an appointment to have your teeth checked.