Your average professional athlete today must follow a training regimen that would boggle the mind of the amateur. They are highly disciplined, confined to a tough diet, a relentless training regimen, and a lifestyle that is relatively free of vice. It takes commitment, and drive.
Staying on top at these levels, especially in endurance sports like triathlons and marathon running, means staying in touch with your training schedule, and avoiding injuries. Health is paramount, and one would reasonably expect that such interest in one’s physical health would translate in to most other areas of your body. Why leave out anything?
But this logic was recently turned on its head. A British study recently found that professional athletes, and in particular, high endurance athletes, exhibited dental health that could easily considered ‘poor’, to say the least. Nearly half, 49%, suffered from undiagnosed decay. A full 77% had swollen, bloody gums. For a subset of the population that places such import on its overall health, this was an odd development.
The reason for this has been speculated to be due to a number of factors. Higher-than-normal intake of air over one’s teeth leads to a drier mouth, which is more alkaline than your typical mouth, an attribute that is a proven associate of cavities. A carb-heavy diet, which many endurance athletes imbibe in, means their teeth are often coated in sugars, which carbs break down in to. The research continues, but if you are an athlete, even just an amateur, staying on top of your oral health should be prioritised.
For all your dental and periodontal needs, National Periodontics can help you.