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Olympic Athletes and Tooth Decay

People around the world are currently looking forward to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, with all the excitement and athleticism that the events are known for. Unfortunately, if the last summer games has taught us anything, there is also a great deal of oral decay going on under the surface.

Indeed, during the 2012 games in London, it was observed that about a fifth of the participating athletes exhibited some degree of dental problem. Some suffered toothaches, some bleeding gums, and some had such serious decay that their ability to participate in the games was jeopardized.

It would seem that this is a problem common among athletes. Though they are often models of great physical health, their mouths suffer as a result of their workout routines. Part of this is because they become dehydrated, which fosters oral decay. Further, many athletes favor consuming a lot of carb-heavy foods and sports drinks, both of which have a lot of sugar in them.

Therefore, if you are an avid athlete, be sure to keep your regular appointments with our Bellingham dentist to make sure your teeth do not prevent you from participating in the sports you most love.