Study Suggests Dental Dramas Cost Athletes Medals At London Games
A new study has suggested that athletes could have missed out on Olympic medals at the 2012 London Games as a result of dental issues.
Research has revealed that almost one fifth of athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games had signs of dental decay or gum disease and 18 per cent of elite performers believed that poor dental health could have had a negative impact on their performance at the Games.
Nearly half of the athletes questioned by researchers admitted that they had not seen a dentist for at least 12 months, despite dentist’s advice to have a check-up every 6 months.
It is thought that dehydration and diet, in addition to neglecting oral health appointments and oral hygiene are to blame for poor standards of oral health among elite athletes. Many admit to consuming energy and sports drinks, which contain a lot of sugar and intensive training often continues to dehydration, which increases the risk of dry mouth. Saliva is incredibly important for oral health because it neutralises acids in the mouth, as well as helping to remove food debris after eating. Athletes also tend to have a diet rich in carbohydrates, which increases the risk of enamel wear and decay.
This research comes just days after German researchers revealed that exercising over a prolonged period of time can be detrimental for oral health, as training reduced saliva production and increased alkalinity.
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