Academy footballers were found to be more likely to experience major dental issues and poor oral health than non-footballers at a similar age.
This is according to a study of the oral health of players from 10 clubs across the Premier League, Championship and Women’s Super League.
The majority of the 160 academy players (76.9%) had BPE grade one or two gum disease with gingival inflammation and bleeding.
More than half of the footballers (56%) had at least one missing, filled or decayed tooth. Almost one third (31.2%) had at least one tooth with obvious caries.
The researchers suggest that a major factor for the athletes’ poor oral health could be increased consumption of sports drinks. These can contribute to tooth decay due to high sugar content and acidity levels.
The study also proposes that the players’ socioeconomic background could be a determinant of their oral health status. Poor oral health is known to be disproportionately associated with deprivation.
Do sports directly harm footballers’ teeth?
The physical effects of football on players’ teeth were also considered. Around 35% of them had experienced dental trauma to their incisors, with one in 10 recalling trauma to the mouth during training or competition. None of the footballers reported using mouthguards during sport.
More than six in 10 players (63.1%) showed signs of tooth wear, which the researchers found ‘surprising’ in such a young population. This could be explained by extended training times leading to dehydration, which reduces saliva’s ability to act as a buffer against wear.
However the pattern of wear on the upper front teeth was often found to be ‘characteristic of acid reflux and possible eating disorders’ such as bulimia. The study’s authors called for more research to bring attention to the prevalence of eating disorders among athletes.
The study suggests that the poor oral health experienced by players could be affecting their athletic performance. It says: ‘It would be surprising if the levels of oral disease reported in this study did not have a negative effect on training and/or performance, with pain and acute infection being the most obvious mechanisms.’
‘An opportunity for sporting bodies to take action’
Speaking to the BBC, study author Dr Saul Konviser said: ‘We feel this is a great opportunity to take this evidence so we can advise and support medical teams at clubs.
‘I think it is an opportunity for sporting bodies to take action. We don’t want negative dental health to impact sporting performance. There needs to be greater understanding that mouth is part of the body.
‘We had players at screenings complaining of dental pain, bleeding gums, saying they were unable to train at some points because of dental infections. Once there has been trauma there can be ongoing problems, including with their ability and willingness to compete.’
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