Oral health is an important aspect of athletes’ overall health, yet it is often overlooked. Dental pain and its pharmacological treatment can have an impact on athletic performance, leading sports medicine physicians to include dental consultations in the management of athletes. However, athletes lack information and dental surgeons are often not well-informed about the specific needs of athletes. This literature review focuses on the peculiarities of athletes, dental trauma, barotrauma, focal conditions, dental occlusion, nutrition and dietetics for athletes, as well as dental management of athletes. The suggested recommendations to prevent dental problems include regular tooth brushing, flossing, maintaining a balanced diet, and limiting the consumption of energy drinks and sugary snacks. Athletes should also undergo regular dental check-ups to promptly detect and treat any potential dental issues. Recent research has demonstrated the importance of oral health for high-level athletes and highlights the impact of oral health on athletic performance. The aim of this literature review is to explore how regular sports practice can affect oral health, leading to phenomena such as dry mouth and early alveolar bone loss. it will also study dental traumas, barotraumas, and focal conditions in athletes. It will examine how dental occlusion can influence the athlete’s posture and how pain can impact sports performance.
Cite this paper
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