Are you, or is
someone you love, a serious athlete or committed to working out? If
so, according to a recent study from University College London, it’s
especially important to stay on top of your dental health.
The UCL Eastman
Dental Institute research team surveyed 352 Olympic and professional
athletes across 11 sports, including cycling, swimming, rugby,
football, rowing, hockey, sailing and athletics, when they provided
dental check-ups for male and female athletes measuring tooth decay,
gum health and acid erosion.
The dental check-ups
revealed substantial amounts of oral disease as reported in a 2018
paper, finding that nearly half (49.1%) had untreated tooth decay,
the large majority showed early signs of gum inflammation, and almost
a third (32%) reported that their oral health had a negative impact
on their training and performance.
The researchers also
asked athletes what they did to keep their mouth, teeth and gums
healthy. Elite athletes have poor oral health despite their efforts
to care for their teeth: this new study found that 94% reported
brushing their teeth at least twice a day, and 44% reported regularly
cleaning between their teeth (flossing) -- substantially higher
figures than for the general population (75% for twice-daily brushing
and 21% for flossing).
Despite the good
health habits, and the fact that they didn’t smoke and had a
healthy general diet, researchers found that the athletes regularly
use sports drinks (87%), energy bars (59%) and energy gels (70%),
which are known to damage teeth. The sugar in these products
increases the risk of tooth decay and the acidity of them increases
the risk of erosion.
The study builds on
research carried out by UCL since the London 2012 Olympics.
Previous findings have suggested that elite athletes may also face an
elevated risk of oral disease from a dry mouth during intensive
training—a situation that exacerbates the environment in which bad
bacteria thrive.
Encouragingly, the
surveyed athletes said they would consider adopting even better oral
hygiene habits to tackle this and an intervention study has already
been piloted.
What would behaviors
I suggest for a serious athlete?
Get Your Teeth
Cleaned Every 3 Months: I regularly recommend more frequent
cleanings for patients with gum disease, or those who are prone to
cavities. This keeps their oral environment in the best state,
within reason, and lets us know what we should watch, or what we can
prevent from happening.
Choose Beverages
and Supplements that are Low in Sugar and Acid: Many supplements
are rich in sugar and acid, which promote bacterial growth and tooth
erosion. Be careful which ones you select. And if you need the
sugar, use a straw to bypass your teeth as much as possible, and
rinse with water.
Use a Flouride
Rinse: Adding a fluoride rinse to your routine will help
remineralize your tooth surfaces and help to protect you against
cavities.
Use a Mouth-guard:
Any sports in which there can be physical contact require a mouth-guard, which should be custom-fitted to you by the dentist, for
your best protection.
If you or your loved
one is an athlete or serious about working out, schedule an
appointment with Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD at her West Hartford
Center Office or her New Britain, CT Office by contacting the office online, or calling 860-561-2121.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and New Britain, Connecticut. She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121