The Oral Health and Performance in Sport conference in London heard that athletes' oral health was often bad and could impair² training and performance.

 

At the pinnacle³ of elite sport, the difference between winning and losing is tiny, so even marginal improvements can make a crucial difference. 

 

Doctors for Team GB's boxing squad⁴ are already trying to improve oral health.

 

 

A study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed a fifth of athletes said their oral health damaged their training and performance for the Games. 

 

At the conference, dentists said tooth pain could disrupt sleep and training and that inflammation of the gums could affect the rest of the body, impairing⁵ performance. 

 

It is not unusual for poor oral health to have wider effects. The NHS says it is linked to type 2 diabetes⁶ and heart problems. 

 

A regular floss（牙线）, a bottle of mouthwash and good brushing technique are not going to transform a weekend jogger into an Olympian.

 

However, Prof Ian Needleman, director of the International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health at University College London, says there could be an impact in elite sport. 

 

He told the BBC: "It's the accumulation of marginal gains, where the difference between elite athletes at the very top is small. Then oral health, amongst other aspects, could make a difference.

 

"The research we did at London 2012 found a large proportion of young athletes, fantastically well tuned⁷ physically⁸, had really poor oral health. 

 

"Quite a high proportion reported an impact on their training and performance so it's clearly an issue for them."

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