Athletic Health

When keeping in shape it isn’t smart to forget about the shape of your dental health. According to a recent study even Olympic athletes suffer when not paying attention to maintaining the same standards of dental health as they do for their physical health. The study was conducted on the 2012 London Olympics and it revealed that 1 in 5 had gum disease or tooth decay. Eighteen percent of the athletes who competed attributed poor performance in part to poor dental health.

While those statistics are alarming for athletes at their physical prime, even more disturbing is the fact that 50% of the Olympic athletes said it had been at least a year since they had visited a dentist. Athletes may be predisposed to having dental issues by the high carbohydrate diets they have and the energy drinks commonly consumed which also have a high sugar content. A recent study in Germany also cited exercising for long periods and the dehydration that accompanies this, caused reduced saliva production and high alkalinity, both detrimental to oral health.

Exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle, just be sure to keep vigilant about your oral health as well. Poor oral health is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even impotence. It is paramount to integrate both healthy habits into your lifestyle. Keep regular visits to your dentist, stay hydrated when working out and try switching to sugar free energy drinks. Adopt daily oral healthy habits as well, brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes, floss daily, chew sugarless gum after meals and at the sign of any issues visit your dentist promptly.