August 2016
POOR ORAL HEALTH IS HAVING AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON SPORTING PERFORMANCE IN THE UK
In light of the Olympic Games, TePe, the number one interdental brush brand in the UK[1], has explored the research surrounding the effect of poor oral health on sporting performance.
As well as causing pain and discomfort, poor oral health can cause tooth decay and gum disease which can also have an adverse impact on confidence in some cases.There are emerginglinks between gum disease and systemic diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, all of which can have a negative effect on sporting performance, as well as everyday life. The reasons for this are unclear, however consistent data strongly indicates a link. Interestingly, recent research has demonstrated that a large number of Olympic athletes suffer from some from gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease[2].
The research, undertaken by Professor Ian Needleman of the University College London Eastman Dental Institute, was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and examined the oral health of male and female 2012 Olympic athletes, plus its impact on their performance. Of the 302 athletes sampled, researchers found that an alarming 75% had gingivitis and 15% had developed more serious gum disease. Many discussed the negative impact it has on their quality of life and some even said they “believed poor oral health was affecting their training or performance in a negative way”.
Similar research has been undertaken with professional footballers, with a 2015 study citing that nearly 4 out of 10 top-level UK footballers have advanced tooth decay, while 1 in 12 has irreversible gum disease[3]. 64% of these footballers admit to consuming sports drinks at least three times a week, implying that elements of their sporting lifestyle are contributing to their poor oral health; namely high sugar supplements and drinks attacking their tooth enamel.
Elaine Tilling, Head of Clinical Education at TePe, comments: “There has been considerable recent research exploring the impact of poor oral health on sporting performance, and the figures can seem alarming. However, the most common dental diseases are preventable and there are simple, easy solutions for their prevention. Athletes can often be time poor and may spend much of their time travelling; this coupled with their training regimes and often high-sugar supplements can clearly have an adverse effect on their oral health and arguably their sporting performance. Brushing twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride tooth paste and incorporating interdental cleaning into their
daily oral care regime (whether using interdental brushes or floss) can very quickly and easily remove the build-up of food and plaque between the teeth and clean the 40% of the tooth that brushing alone misses, keeping them clean and reducing the plaque-build up that can ultimately lead to gum disease and tooth decay. To perform optimally, the body needs to have time and effort invested in it; an athlete understands this and so extending the same principle to their oral care routine makes sense. Optimal health equalsoptimal performance”.
TePe brushes are available for £3 - £3.50 at Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Superdrug and other major retailers and pharmacies nationwide.
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For further information, images or quotes please contact:
Phoebe Potter / 0117 906 4559 /
Notes to editors:
About TePe
TePe is a Swedish family-owned company who have been designing, developing and manufacturing oral hygiene products since 1965. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, the TePe brand was first introduced into the UK market in 1998.
[1]Source: IRI Total Market, 52 w/e 23 Jan, 2016
[2]Needleman I, Ashley P, Fine P, Oral health and elite sport performance, Br J Sports Med September 2014; doi:10.1136/bjsports-2014-093804
[3]Needleman I, Ashley P, Meehan et al ,Poor oral health including active caries in 187 UK professional male football players: clinical dental examination performed by dentists, Br J Sports Med November 2015: doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-094953