Sport

Whether professional athlete, recreational jogger or fitness enthusiast: anyone wanting peak physical performance has to pay particular attention to the health of teeth and gums. Athletes in particular supply the bacteria in their mouth with fresh food again and again through regular, often carbohydrate-rich meals. In periodontitis – the chronic inflammation of the structures supporting the teeth – bacteria settle in the spaces between the teeth and in the gum pockets. They give off toxic substances that attack teeth and jawbone. Our immune system responds with inflammation in order to destroy the bacteria. Together with inflammatory substances these enter the blood and can trigger further inflammation throughout the body. One possible consequence: impaired blood flow to the heart muscle

It is by now regarded as established that chronic inflammation in the mouth increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and arteriosclerosis. But long-drawn-out inflammation in the muscles can also have its cause in untreated periodontitis. The best recommendation – and not only for athletes – is regular prevention at the dental practice. There are enormous differences here, however. Having the teeth cleaned for half an hour twice a year has nothing to do with modern prevention. Everyone has a personal risk of periodontitis, which should be determined regularly through standardised diagnosis and the risk assessment that follows from it. The SCAN prevention plan goes beyond a normal professional tooth cleaning. On the basis of the individual risk of periodontitis and caries, a personal dental training plan is drawn up for each athlete. Only after a thorough examination and an assessment of the current state of teeth and gums do the dental specialists decide on the kind and extent of treatment