Are oral health and fixed orthodontic appliances associated with sports injuries and postural stability in elite junior male soccer players?

Abstract

BackgroundDental caries and periodontitis are associated with elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines which may trigger muscle fatigue during exercise, a strong risk factor for sports injuries. Fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA) may cause poor oral health and may disturb proprioceptive inputs of the stomatognathic system. This study aims to explore associations of poor oral health and of use of a FOA with injury frequency and postural stability.MethodsOne hundred eighty seven Belgian elite junior male soccer players, aged 12–17 years, completed a self-report questionnaire asking about injuries in the past year, oral health problems, use of a FOA, demographics and sports data, and stood in unipedal stance with eyes closed on a force plate to assess postural stability.ResultsOrdinal logistic regression with number of injuries in the past year as ordinal dependent variable and dental caries and/or gum problems, age and player position as covariates, showed that participants who reported dental caries and/or gum problems and never had had a FOA reported significant more injuries in the past year compared to the reference group of participants who reported no oral health problems and never had had a FOA (adjusted OR = 2.45; 95% CI, 1.19–5.05; p = 0.015). A 2 (temporomandibular joint problems) × 2 (FOA) × 2 (age) ANOVA with postural stabilities as dependent variables, showed a significant FOA x age interaction for the non-dominant (standing) leg. Post-hoc t-tests showed a significant better postural stability for the non-dominant leg (and a trend for the dominant leg) for the older compared with the younger participants in the non-FOA group (p = .002, ES = 0.61), while no age differences were found in the FOA-group.ConclusionsThese results indicate that poor oral health may be an injury risk factor and that a FOA may hinder the development of body postural stability.

TMJ Disorders in Athletes

“…Its use improved the dancers' Flamingo Balance Testing (standing on one leg for 60 s) (13). Postural stability, part of neuromuscular control, is protective against injuries and crucial for optimum performance in athletics (16).…”

The Significance of Oral Inflammation in Elite Sports: A Narrative Review

“…Nevertheless, it must be taken in account that the lack of statistical significance could also be caused by the small cohort size (22 participants). Furthermore, two surveys indicated poor oral health as a risk factor for injuries [61], respectively reinjuries [62]. However, these surveys were only based on the self-reported status by the athletes [61,62].…”

“…Furthermore, two surveys indicated poor oral health as a risk factor for injuries [61], respectively reinjuries [62]. However, these surveys were only based on the self-reported status by the athletes [61,62]. It remains unclear if the self-reported surrogate marker "gum problems (bleeding, swelling, recession)" reflects the oral inflammation burden in athletes.…”

A saúde bucal em foco para os atletas de alto rendimento

“…Considerando o exercício das funções orais, discute-se como as maloclusões e o funcionamento das articulações temporomandibulares podem afetar o desempenho dos atletas. Pesquisas são controversas quanto à relação entre a postura, o equilíbrio e a oclusão (2)(3)(4)6,14,15). Tendo em vista o sistema neuromuscular e a íntima relação do sistema estomatognático com o crânio e o sistema muscular cérvico-escapular, uma alteração na posição da mandíbula, parece modificar a postura, o que poderia influenciar no desempenho no esporte.…”