The relation between performance and oral health in male athletes

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 6, 1007 - 1013, 04.11.2019

Hakan Yapıcı , Oğuz Eroğlu , Sinan Ayan Serdar Bağlar , Uğur Altay Memiş Ali Ahmet Doğan

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.432272

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objectives:
Oral health is as important to an athlete’s sporting
successas regular exercise and adequate nutrition. The aim of
this study was to investigate the relation between oral health and sporting
performance.

Methods: This
prospective study was carried out with male athletes. Athletes' demographic
characteristics, dental care habits, number of decayed, missing or filled
teeth, and sporting performance data were recorded. The Decayed Missing Filled
Teeth (DMFT) index, Significant Caries index (SCI) and Plaque index (PI) were
used to assess oral health. The T-Drill, Zig-Zag, Lateral Change of Direction
(LCD) and 505 tests to assess agility, and 10-, 20- and 30-m short sprint tests
were used to assess speed. The results were
analyzed on SPSS software, and p
values < 0.05 were regarded as significant.

Results: Ninety-six
athletes were included in the study. Active
caries was determined in 70.8%. The mean DMFT index value was 3.9 ± 3.7,
mean SCI 10.2, and mean PI 0.9 ± 0.4. DMFT was  ≥ 4 in 45.8% of athletes and < 4 in 57.2%.
No difference was determined between subjects with DMFT < 4 and DMFT ≥ 4 in
terms of age, height, body weight, or years engaged in sports. Agility and
speed tests results were superior in subjects with DMFT<4 than in those with
DMFT ≥ 4, and times to completion of performance tests were shorter (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that DMFT was
positively correlated with agility tests [T-Drill test (r = 0.428), Zig-Zag
test (r = 0.428), LCD test (r = 0.286) and 505 test (r = 0.529)], and speed
tests [short sprint, 10-m (r = 0.309), 20-m (r = 0.336), 30-m (r = 0.449)] (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Impairment of oral health has an
adverse effect on sporting performance, and this can lead to poorer results in
performance tests such as agility and speed. 

Keywords

Athletes, athletic performance, oral health, tooth

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