The 2018 Winter Olympics are in full swing! These athletes train for often hundreds if not
thousands of hours to be able to compete at this prestigious event.
Healthy teeth are more than just a pretty smile for these Olympians. A healthy smile has been
linked to a lower risk for systemic diseases such as heart disease. In addition, strong teeth help
these athletes to properly chew their food, therefore supporting proper digestion.
With all the rigors of being an athlete, how do these professionals protect their smile when
competing in the winter games?
Custom Mouthguards Prevent Injury
In sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and hockey, custom mouthguards are an integral part of
preventing injury. Combine this with the fact that a dental emergency can majorly hinder—if
not entirely halt—their performance and mouth safety has become more of a priority than ever
for these competitors.
Custom mouthguards are essential and offer full protection, as compared to store-bought ones
that can’t properly mold to your unique smile. In fact, there’s also evidence that mouthguards
may help decrease the frequency and severity of brain concussions. This is because in addition
to protecting the teeth, custom mouthguards can help absorb the harmful impact in sports that
can cause concussions!
Protecting and Preventing Sensitive Teeth
In the Winter Olympics, cold air does more than make the body cold. If these athletes have
sensitive teeth, breathing cold air can actually make teeth that have compromised enamel hurt!
It’s imperative that these professional competitors take care of their smiles to avoid this.
For example, consider figure skating, where athletes are exposed to temperatures close to
freezing while outdoor competitors are exposed to temperatures in the negatives, sometimes
as much as 25 degrees below! These temperatures are enough to make sensitive teeth painful,
therefore compromising an athlete’s ability to perform their best.
It’s essential to prevent sensitive teeth when possible by adopting best practices when it comes
to teeth whitening (always get it professionally done), hygiene (gentle brushing habits), and
checkups (every six months). An athlete’s mouth is more important than you think!
Athletes Need to Have Their Best Smile
For all the reasons above, athletes need to have their best smile. Dental checkups are
imperative to getting cavities treated early as well as getting any injured teeth repaired. A
professional dentist can also fit athletes with a proper mouthguard, ensuring their smile is
protected at all times while competing.
X-rays can also help determine any problems that your dentist can’t easily see, such as
impacted wisdom teeth. Did you know that athletes who have impacted wisdom teeth are four
times more likely to suffer from a broken jaw while competing? It’s more important than ever
for these professionals to have their best, healthiest smile.
Have you been enjoying the Winter Olympics? Consider that these Olympians need to keep
their mouths as healthy as possible. It wouldn’t hurt to take a cue from these professionals and
take care of your smile, so that you have the best, most beautiful and healthy smile for your
future, whether you’re an Olympian or not!
