Is Bad Oral Health a Factor in an Athlete's Performance?
Competition is tight in every sporting event. Individuals battle each other; teams create rivalries along the way. Every athlete always thinks about honing their skills and enhancing their abilities to outlast and outplay their competitors. It is a common goal for those who are active in sports to be in the best shape. Sports enthusiasts choose to undergo excessive training, exercise, and maintain a good and balanced diet. Most people think that the greatness of an athlete lies solely in their physical and mental condition, but there is one factor that authorities often overlook during medical examinations: the oral health.
How Does It Affect? Studies show that around 42% of the participants in the 2012 London Olympics have poor dental records, which gravely affected their performance. Of the 302 athletes, 55% of them had tooth decay, 45% were seen signs of enamel erosion, while 15% suffered from gum infection or periodontitis. Toothache remains among the most severe sensations of every person. This affects the overall function, as the pain impedes proper focusing. Oral diseases do not remain without the mouth alone. Some serious body ailments point out to poor dental condition as the source. These health problems significantly affect their stamina, thus reducing their performance level.
Consistently getting sick reduces the practice time of athletes. They would usually lose track of their daily routine and have to work their way back to a good condition. With too much time spent on conditioning alone, the performance of these individuals would gradually decline over time.
What’s At Risk? Poor oral health can put an athlete’s career at risk also. As people say that the mouth is the gateway to the body, dental diseases cause ailments such as respiratory and heart problems, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and a higher risk of dementia, among others. Developing these diseases may put an athlete to the sidelines for a long time or even hinder their performance.
In addition, people tend to skip meals when their toothaches. Everyone needs to eat food regularly to gain sufficient energy. With lower energy, they would easily get tired and make their movement slower than the usual. This affects their mental focus as their body probably seek food. The connection between oral health and athletic performance may look relatively vague, but a poll shows that one of five athletes consider dental problems as a cause of the decline in their performance. Taking care of the overall health remains significant, even for those individuals often renowned for durability.
Sources: http://www.bromleydentalpractic e.co.uk/
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/ dental-plaque-and-gum-disease
http://www.runnersworld.com/he alth/olympians-poor-dentalhealth-affects-their-training