As the World Cup rages on, audiences around the world can see their favourite footballers deliver sporting masterclasses. The positive impact will inspire thousands of children to put their boots on and start practicing, training to become the next generation of world-class athletes.
But for those looking to improve their physical performance, a report from the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) has identified the role that good oral health can have on the rest of the body.
Athletic performance is an amalgamation of environmental, lifestyle, physical and psychological factors; how we train, recover, sleep, eat and hydrate has a similar role to our unique genetics, injury risk and access to good medical care and rehabilitation exercises. But how does oral health fit into this balance?
Professor Nicola West, an EPF officer, highlights the association:
“Oral health is a key factor that is often overlooked, despite growing evidence that deficits can drive inflammation in the body. Current evidence suggests that oral health and athletic success interact in many ways, and it should be taken into account.”
The key findings of the report detail the role that oral inflammation can play in affecting body-wide systematic inflammation. Poor oral hygiene increases the risk of periodontitis, with the inflammatory cytokines spreading from the gums to the rest of the body. Research has previously established the association between oral diseases like periodontitis, inflammation, and chronic health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and pneumonia, and how they can impact physical performance.
Elsewhere, the report establishes the relationship between oral health and impaired nutrition, how dental pain can reduce quality of life and harm physical and psychological states, and how the brain and body work together to react to the world around us.
So what can athletes do to optimise their performance? Past President of the EFP Professor Moritz Kebschull offered an answer:
“Awareness of the importance of oral health in sport is still very low. Teams and sports bodies need to prioritise it and include sports dentistry just as they have included sports medicine as part of the team. Evidence shows that oral health presents an opportunity to prevent injuries and improve outcomes.”
Besides heightened awareness, dental professionals can help prevent, detect, and treat the oral complications that reduce sporting performance: tooth decay, gum disease, malocclusion, and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Combined with a balanced and nutritional diet and a consistent oral hygiene, athletes can reduce the risk of poor oral health affecting their performance.
>Since you’re here, why not read about irreversible jaw damage: the dangers of looksmaxxing?
Main image credit: Unsplash
