What has dentistry to do with the practice of sports?
If you think that the good thing about dentists is that they leave you with a beautiful smile, you’re wrong.
The care of the oral health is essential for all of us, whether you are an athlete or not. An important thing is to know that changes in facial structures influence the performance in physical activities, explains Dr. Marcos Paulo El Saman, a dentist and specialist in orthodontics, with a post graduation at NYU.
Do you know what the teeth have to do with sports? That question, especially for common people, seems to make no sense at all. But it does. Dental problems have great influence on the performance of athletes, and can bring great losses.
The harmless habit of breathing through the mouth, for example, can lead to a fall up to 30% in physical performance.
What happens is that during mouth breathing, because it doesn’t promote preparation of the inspired air, there is a modification of the pulmonary mechanics of gas absorption. Besides that, there is an increase in airway resistance and decreased lung compliance, which reduces O2 use not only at rest, but mostly while exercising, which can cause “Cor pulmonale”, defined as an alteration in the structure and function of the right ventricle caused by a primary disorder of the respiratory system also known as breathlessness.
“Individuals with chronic mouth breathing shows myofascial, postural, digestive and
phonetic alterations, cluttered craniofacial growth, dental malocclusion (a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close), incorrect neck posture, low physical performance, difficulty with overall coordination, frequent fatigue, insomnia, impaired attention and concentration, poor use of food because of the deficiency in chewing and digesting it, injuries and the poor recovery of these injuries, decreased aerobic capacity and early fatigue.
Hence, the performance of an athlete can be increased if he or she is “updated “with his or her oral health,” explains Dr. Mark Elsaman.
Let’s understand a little about what oral health is.
1 – Correct occlusion. (between the gear of teeth). It could be corrected through the use of orthodontic appliances;
2 – Complete dental arcade.
It facilitates the chewing and the digestion;
3 – Healthy teeth, without pain and without infectious focus in the mouth;
4 – Good breath.
It is necessary a planned diagnosis, performed by a multidisciplinary team composed of Orthodontists, Phonoaudiologysts, Otolaryngologists, Physiotherapists and even Psychologists, to treat these disorders, and thus trying to reduce the negative effects of this issue on the physical performance of the athlete.
In the case of children, they, as well as their parents, have no idea of the consequences of the habit of breathing through the mouth, and even have trouble identifying the problem. In some soccer schools, for example, there are already specialized professionals to evaluate the dental occlusion and breathing of future athletes during the selection process. And when problems are identified, parents and /or the legal guardians of these children are informed of possible treatments, in order to increase their physical performance.
So, now you know it: in order to perform well in sports or physical activities be sure to visit your dentist regularly. The problems are often easier to solve than you think.
How about a big and healthy smile?
