Oral health is as important as physical health of a sportsman. It helps to improve the overall well-being of a person and makes sure he is fit enough for a sport. A proper diet and comprehensive training is what a sports person looks for, but a visit to a dentist is very often neglected or over looked. Along with other fitness regime it is advised to visit a dentist because it would be a big loss to miss a match, just because you are sitting on a dentist’s chair and undergoing a treatment.

General survey statistics show that 18% had a negative impact on their performance due to poor oral health and around 46.5% had not been to a dentist in the past year. This is because their fitness programme includes consulting their physician and physiotherapist but not a dentist. As a result, it was found that 55 percent of athletes suffered from tooth decay.

• Some common reasons for tooth decay in a sports person are:
  Consumption of sports products, & drinks rich in carbohydrates and gels.
• Sports products are sources of sugar that adhere to teeth more than saliva and produce additional acid which increases the risk of dental decay.
• Dehydration is another reason. When mouth is dry with not enough saliva, it increases the potential for tooth erosion.
• Improper oral hygiene habits

What can be done to make sure of oral health fitness?
For low intensity sports such as volleyball, baseball, tennis, biking etc. one can switch to tap water for hydration instead of consuming glucose all the time. Banana is a good source for immediate energy with lesser amount of sugar.

And for high intensity sports like cycling & wrestling, athletes require more of physical work and for this they can have food rich in calcium and phosphate like milk, cheese and yoghurt as these help to re-mineralize the tooth surface. Isotonic drinks are a better choice for replenishment.

Some basic steps need to be followed to ensure proper oral health and care:

• Use the right proportion of cold water when mixing of powder is required.
• On dehydration, hydrate yourself with plain water and avoid sports supplements
• Make sure brushing, flossing and rinsing are a part of your regular practice regime
• Consumption of sports beverage can be done with straw to minimise contact with the teeth.
• Include mouth guards and protective gears when necessary. Ensure they are customised by a dentist and it has proper fitting.
• Visit a dentist once in every six months

The oral hygiene does have a direct effect on the performance. Disruption of sleep due to a gum or tooth disorder can make the person very restless to play at the match. In fact some oral diseases or inflammation are also linked with type two diabetes and heart problems.

A little time spent on oral health care is no harm. If the above mentioned simple strategies are adopted in the daily routine, any sportsman can make a crucial difference between Gold and Silver.

For more details and enquiries please contact Oris Dental Centre.

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