The effect of swimming on oral health status: competitive versus non-competitive athletes

Abstract

Young swimmers are particularly susceptible to the onset of oral diseases. Objective To evaluate the oral health status in young competitive and non-competitive swimmers, involving an assessment of salivary cariogenic bacteria and secretory IgA (S-IgA) concentration.Material and Methods Before training sessions (T1), 54 competitive and 69 non-competitive swimmers had the following parameters assessed: decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT), Plaque Index (PlI), and Gingival Index (GI). At T1 and after training sessions (T2), stimulated saliva was collected and microbiological and immunological analyses were performed.Results Competitive swimmers trained 2.02±0.09 hours 5 times a week, while non-competitive swimmers trained 2.03±0.18 hours a week. A total of 14.7% of competitive swimmers suffered dental trauma related to sports. Only 11.76% of the competitive swimmers took a daily dose of fluoride, against 32.65% of non-competitive swimmers (p=0.029). Neither group followed an established diet or presented statistically significant differences in terms of nutritional supplement drink and chocolate intake. There were statistically significant differences in terms of oral hygiene. No significant difference in clinical indexes (DMFT, PlI, and GI) was present. S. mutans was harbored by 18.6% of competitive and the 32.2% of non-competitive swimmers. S. sobrinus was detected in 22.03% of competitive and 91.6% of non-competitive swimmers (p<0.05). S. sanguinis was found only in the saliva of competitive swimmers. The average S-IgA of competitive swimmers decreased significantly at T2 (p<0.05). The pool water had a daily average pH of 7.22.Conclusions Microbial markers, immune status and sporting characteristics are important for establishing guidelines for management of training load in order to minimize physical stress and the risk of oral infection.

Mouthguards and their use in sports: Report of the 1st International Sports Dentistry Workshop, 2016

“…Many of the articles showed an increase in performance in using sports and energy drinks, even though they had deleterious effects on the athlete's health …”

“…Many of the articles showed an increase in performance in using sports and energy drinks, even though they had deleterious effects on the athlete's health. [64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76] One article specifically stated that because of the stimulant content within the sports and energy drink, they would not be appropriate for children and adolescents. This intake can lead to excessive caloric consumption and an increased risk of overweight and obesity as well as dental erosion.…”

Custom-Made Mouthguards: Electromyographic Analysis of Masticatory Muscles and Cardiopulmonary Tests in Athletes of Different Sports

“…The present study demonstrated that electromyographic analysis, cardiopulmonary test associated with previously reported tests as microbial markers, immune status and sporting characteristics [21] were important for establishing guidelines for management of training load in order to minimize physical stress and the risk of oral infection.…”

Effect of poor oral health on respiratory functions which is one of the important factor of sportive performance

“…Some studies have reported the adverse effects of periodontal and dental diseases on athletic performance. A relationship has been found between the performance of swimmers and the decay of teeth even if the relationship is weak (18). High caries score and periodontal disease negatively affect performance and may be associated with athlete muscle, tendon, and bone injuries (19).…”