With the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in full swing, some rather interesting facts are bubbling to the surface of the dental world about athletes and why they need to take extra care of their teeth. In the spirit of the World Cup, Washington, DC dentist Dr. Griffin would like to share some of this news with you. As we watch America take the 2015 Women’s World Cup by storm, let’s hope our women’s national soccer team is also winning the matches against tooth decay they are fighting in their mouths.
The origin of this news dates back to the 2012 Olympics when it was reported that dental problems plagued nearly a fifth of all the athletes performing. Many athletes, from all countries, were experiencing persistent, nagging tooth pain which was distracting them from their performance. What was even more surprising is that half of those athletes claimed they had not seen a dentist in over a year.
So what was going on here? Why were so many of these professional athletes experiencing such severe oral discomfort?
The answer might surprise you with how simple it actually is. Extreme athletes live a high-octane life in which they are frequently pushing their bodies to their to the brink of dehydration and exhaustion. So, in order to sustain their bodies in the midst of this extreme activity what do many athletes do? They maintain high carb diets for fuel and often rehydrate with sports drinks that provide them with replacement electrolytes and a burst of energy due to the sugar.
Like, LOTS of sugar. A single 118 mL pouch of Gatorade Prime has a staggering 23 grams of sugar in it.
This carb filled, sugar-laden diet comes at a cost to their mouths. Tooth decay is apparently running rampant in the world of competitive sports.
In addition to a diet that is not too favorable for tooth health, athletes also frequently experience dry mouth due to the extended periods of physical exertion they must participate in. Dry mouth is an absence of normal saliva production of flow within the oral cavity. Having a dry mouth for too long presents various health risks to the mouth, the major one being that food particles from the person’s last meal or snack are not as effectively washed away as they would be in the presence of sufficient saliva. This can cause tooth decay.
With these facts in mind, it makes sense why the extra sugar in sports drinks such as Gatorade and protein shakes, as well as sports foods like protein and meal replacement bars, coupled with dry mouth could spell an oral disaster for our 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup team.
So what does Dr. Griffin suggest to any athletes looking to refuel of in the heat of a game without putting the health of their teeth at risk? Try mixing low-sugar versions of sports drinks, like G2, with water and drinking that. You will still get the same amount of electrolytes and minerals needed to fuel your body, and the added water will help you stay hydrated as well.
We hope the talented ladies representing the United States out there in this 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup are doing the same thing. We wouldnt want them having to get dentures early on in life now would we?
Go team USA!
Until next time readers, keep smiling.