Why Oral Health Matters to Athlete PerformanceA new report, Winning Margins: The Impact of Oral Health on Athlete Performance, highlights an important message for athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, healthcare providers, and sports organizations: oral health is part of athlete health. The report explores how oral health may influence performance through inflammation, fatigue, sleep, nutrition, recovery, pain, strength, endurance, and competition readiness. For athletes, even minor oral health issues can affect training, confidence, recovery, and availability to compete. This message is central to the mission of the Academy for Sports Dentistry. Sports dentistry is not only about treating dental injuries after they happen. It is about prevention, education, properly fitted mouthguards, routine screening, and helping athletes stay healthy and ready to perform. The report also reinforces the importance of including sports dentists as part of the broader sports medicine team. By working alongside coaches, athletic trainers, physicians, and sports organizations, sports dentists can help prevent, detect, and manage oral health issues that may impact athletes' well-being and performance. ASD is proud that Dr. Michael Salyzyn, President of the Academy for Sports Dentistry, contributed insight to this important report. His participation reflects the growing recognition of sports dentistry as an essential part of athlete care. Read the full report: Winning Margins: The Impact of Oral Health on Athlete Performance |
