Dr Sunny Sharman

Introduction

The oral health of athletes, specifically footballers, has been gaining international attention over the last few years due to excellent research confirming its link with the musculoskeletal system and the performance of elite athletes.

A quick Google search of teeth and footballers’ injuries will give you lots of quotes from Jamal Musiala, Arjen Robben, Clarence Seedorf, Steven Gerrard, and Cesc Fàbregas, to the great Arsene Wenger, who requested his players have wisdom teeth removed. They all accredited a link between soft tissue injuries and rotten teeth. Hansi Flick hired a dentist with the Germany national team and again at Barcelona.

Footballers have an increased risk of poor oral health due to:

• Decreased saliva production during training and matches

• Increased carbohydrate intake through nutritional supplements

• Dehydration

• Increased airflow through the mouth

• Impaired immune system function with high training load

Is this an overlooked part of the body with regard to performance? We will delve into the connections.