The National Olympic Academy has launched a dedicated dental screening unit to strengthen oral healthcare services for athletes and help prevent dental issues from affecting performance at major competitions.
Iran
NOC; Tehran: The new unit has been established to provide regular oral health
screenings and identify dental conditions at an early stage. According to Dr.
Laleh Hakemi, Director of the Academy’s Medical Center, untreated dental
problems can emerge unexpectedly during major competitions, disrupting
athletes' sleep, requiring medication and ultimately affecting their
performance.
She
emphasized that oral inflammation can contribute to systemic inflammation,
increasing the risk of injuries and negatively impacting athletic performance.
She urged athletes to undergo routine dental examinations and maintain proper
oral hygiene as an essential component of their overall health and competition
readiness.
The
Academy noted that dental injuries, inadequate use of mouthguards in contact
sports, dehydration, mouth breathing, teeth grinding, frequent consumption of
energy drinks, sugary and acidic foods, restrictive weight-loss diets and poor
oral hygiene are among the key factors that increase the risk of dental
disease, underscoring the importance of preventive care for elite athletes.