Dental Health Status of Professional Football Players During the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup

Author : Dr. Mohammed Alsaey

Abstract :Background: Oral health is integral to the overall well-being of individuals. Recent studies have also indicated that dental health can impact elite sporting performance. Recently, a few studies have consistently highlighted significant oral health treatment needs among athletes, suggesting that unresolved oral health issues could negatively impact quality of life and potentially impair training and performance outcomes. Aim of the study: Currently, there is no data published on oral health of professional football players in Asia. Considering the lack of knowledge on oral health in players from this region, we aimed to study the oral health status of elite football players participating in the Asian Football Cup competition held in the state of Qatar between the 13th of January to the 10th of February 2023. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study clinical data related to most important dental issues affecting athletes such as tooth decay, periodontal health, tooth wear, wisdom teeth status, trauma and temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders were collected by clinical examination from 3 experienced dentists using data collection sheets which included specific dental indices such as DMFT index, BPE index, BEWE tooth wear index. Additionally, the status of wisdom teeth, trauma, and TMJ disorders were also evaluated. Results: Eighteen teams agreed to participate in this study, seventy players were randomly selected from the teams and clinically examined. The mean age of the players was 26.8 years. Among the players, 70% (n = 49) exhibited decayed enamel (DE), 77.1% (n = 54) had decayed dentin (DD), and 85.7% (n = 60) had decayed enamel and dentin (DED). Additionally, 77.1% (n = 54) of players had restorations (FT). The mean number of teeth affected by DED was 5.6 (SD = 4.4, range: 0–17). The mean number of restored teeth (FT) was 5.6 (SD = 6.6, range: 0–24). For gingival and periodontal health, 82.9% (n = 58) exhibited gingivitis and 12.9% (n = 9) exhibited periodontitis. Dental erosion was observed in 88.6% (n = 62) of players across both anterior and posterior teeth. For anterior teeth,

Keywords :Elite athletes, oral health, football players, dental decay, periodontal disease, Asia

Conference Name :International Conference on Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry (ICOHPD-25)

Conference Place London, UK

Conference Date 31st Mar 2025