Improving Athletic Performance via Better Dental Hygiene

The conversation in the mainstream surrounding health, fitness, and overall wellness has been resonating loudly recently, certainly a positive trend. Meanwhile, the dialogue pointing to the direct links between dental hygiene and overall health has also been growing, but has less voice.

HuffPost Healthy Living released a recent article entitled Great Legs, Gross Teeth: Endurance Runners and Tooth Decay that identifies this very dilemma in the overall health conversation, that even elite athletes such as runners suffer in their performance due to a neglect of their oral wellness.

"They have bodies of Adonis and a garbage mouth." -- Paul Piccininni, Dental Director for the International Olympic Committee

Despite rigid training regimens, athletic performance suffers by the habitual aid and reliance on sugary energy drinks, such as Gatorade, Powerade, and so on. The sugars found in these drinks, which are sipped on by many runners and other endurance athletes, erode the tooth enamel and cause a proliferation of bacteria, leading to a plethora of other oral problems.

Ways to Become a Better Athlete

Here are a few ways we would propose getting around the issue:

1. If you feel the need to continue to use energy drinks before, during, and/or after your training, it would be wise to brush your teeth immediately afterward. (Sidenote: The Ionic Toothbrush does not require toothpaste, only a splash of water. If you're on-the-go, keep it in your gym bag – protected by a Snap-On Toothbrush Sanitizer, of course – and you can kiss those sugars goodbye!)
2. Stay committed to a regular brushing and flossing ritual, at least twice daily.
3. Drink lots of filtered water!