# The influence of oral health on sports performance: an interdisciplinary perspective

## TL;DR

This paper explores how oral health impacts athletic performance and suggests that better dental care can improve endurance, strength, and agility in athletes.

## Contribution

The paper introduces the idea that oral health is a modifiable factor influencing sports performance, supported by interdisciplinary collaboration.

## Key findings

- Poor oral health is linked to reduced performance metrics like VO2 max and agility.
- Oral health issues may affect performance through inflammation, nutrition, and psychological factors.
- Dentists should work with sports teams to improve athlete performance and recovery.

## Abstract

Sports performance is a multifactorial concept determined by the interplay of physical, technical, tactical, and psychological factors. While its measurement is straightforward in metrical sports (e.g., athletics or swimming), it is more complex in team or aesthetic disciplines. In recent years, the role of oral health has gained attention as a potentially modifiable factor influencing athletic performance. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of how sports performance is defined and measured – particularly in explosive and endurance sports – and explores the impact of oral health on performance outcomes. Evidence from systematic reviews and observational studies shows consistent associations between poor oral health (e.g., periodontal disease, caries, malocclusion) and reduced objective performance metrics such as V̇O2 max, power output, speed, and agility, as well as self-reported reductions in training capacity and competitive performance. Potential mechanisms include systemic inflammation, impaired nutrition, altered microbiomes, psychological burden, and altered sensorimotor control. These pathways highlight the relevance of oral health in both recovery and performance optimisation. Future research in sports dentistry should adopt an interdisciplinary approach, using validated outcome measures, clearly defined athlete populations, and co-produced study designs involving athletes and support teams to enhance relevance and generalisability.

Links between oral health and athletic performance give dentists a compelling reason to emphasise prevention, even in asymptomatic patients.Athletes and sports teams become relevant target groups for dental services focused on performance and recovery.Dentists can better motivate patients by connecting oral health to real-life outcomes like endurance, strength, and agility.Findings support dentists working alongside sports physicians, physiotherapists, and coaches, elevating the profession's role in holistic athlete care.

Links between oral health and athletic performance give dentists a compelling reason to emphasise prevention, even in asymptomatic patients.

Athletes and sports teams become relevant target groups for dental services focused on performance and recovery.

Dentists can better motivate patients by connecting oral health to real-life outcomes like endurance, strength, and agility.

Findings support dentists working alongside sports physicians, physiotherapists, and coaches, elevating the profession's role in holistic athlete care.