As more and more people strive to increase their overall health and fitness levels by training for and completing a marathon, triathlon, century, or Ironman competition on an amateur or elite level, there is an increasing gap of information about nutrition while you train and compete.
Nutrition for an amateur or elite athlete is different to nutrition in the mainstream population. This difference stems from increased energy expenditure (a few hundred to several thousand calories per day) due to repetition of daily – or even twice-daily – training sessions, which must be balanced by an increased energy intake.
Food plays a major role in an athlete’s life and an inadequate intake could expose them to a risk of fatigue, injury or under performance. Thus, if the diet is not balanced – e.g. lacks essential compounds or contains excess quantities of some foods – disorders can develop, including at the level of oral hygiene.
The main problems encountered with oral hygiene in athletes are cavities and tooth erosion. These problems are promoted by the consumption of foods which are high in sugar and by acidity associated with exercise-related dry mouth. Within this context, we here assess food consumption patterns among, and consequences . Finally, we propose practical recommendations for good oral hygiene among athletes.