Dentists Important For Athletes

Athletes are under constant pressure to take good care of their bodies. There physical health is imperative to their jobs. If they are not healthy, they are not able to work. Very quickly, an athlete who cannot compete is traded, or worse, fired, from their position and replaced by another healthier athlete.

Everybody knows that good oral health is equated with good physical health and vice versa. Studies show that people that brush and floss regularly have a better chance to be healthy and live healthier lifestyles. Superior oral hygiene goes hand in hand with healthy eating habits and desire to practice good exercising habits. 

For an athlete, oral health goes beyond just brushing and flossing. They have to be protected when performing their jobs. Most athletes are required to wear mouth guards when on the field, in the ring or at the track. Mouth guards, dentists suggest, are the number one way to protect teeth from major accidents and repairs. Usually a mouth guard is designed to form tightly to the teeth. Some are exact molds of your mouth and jaw line so they fit perfectly.

Because of the possibilities of high impact hits to the jaw and teeth in American football for example, the mouth guard is necessary to prevent multiple chipped teeth. Often when a player is about to tackle or be tackled by another player, they grit their teeth together, clenching their jaw and muscles. Without a layer between the upper and lower teeth, players could quickly break multiple teeth on impact.

At the same time dentists are encouraging mouth guard use, they are discouraging oral piercings and jewelry. Piercings in the tongue and lips can pose specific dangers to the mouth and teeth during high-impact performance athletics. Tongue piercing in particular can cause major damage to teeth during tackle sports. Gums and tissue can be punctured as well.

Some dentists say that because of the increased blood flow that athletes experience, there is an increased possibility of infection. Athletes also have increased open-mouthed breathing while on the field which means an increased chance of airborne bacteria and viruses getting inside of the mouth and into any wound in the mouth. 

Others say that because of high-impact hits, falls or otherwise, there is a greater chance for mouth and face jewelry to become dislodged and wind up in the air pathways. Meaning athletes could choke or have restricted breathing during sports play. For jewelry that manages its way past the throat or airways and is swallowed, an athlete’s esophagus or intestinal tract could become injured.

Dentists are aware of all the special situations in which professional, amateur and student athletes find themselves. If you or someone you know is an athlete without a mouth guard or with a piercing, you are encouraged to seek the advice of a professional dentist.