Author: Yessenia Valverde Ingersoll, DMD
Affiliation: Millenia Dental Private Clinic. IADT and ASD member
Abstract
Background: Young athletes overall health experiences include significant physical, physiological, psychological, and social changes during their development. Unfortunately, oral health and its relationship with overall health may be overlooked during their participation in sports programs.
Objective: To propose an interdisciplinary sports dentistry and health education guideline for parents/guardians, coaches, and certified athletic trainers.
Proposal: An educational framework integrating oral and general health for young athletes. Areas of focus should include the following:
· pre-participation assessment including oral health, occlusion and TMJ evaluation.
· prevention of overuse injuries through multisport participation.
· injury prevention including oral/facial injury.
· early mouthguard implementation programs.
· nutrition and eating disorders.
· hormonal changes, including oral effects.
· Substance misuse and abuse.1
It also addresses cardiovascular considerations, posture, orthopedic development, physical alignment, psychological well-being, social media influences, and enjoyment of sport
Discussion:
Youth sports provide an important setting for promoting lifelong health, but adolescent athletes require an approach that extends beyond physical performance and injury management. During development, athletes experience substantial changes in growth, hormonal status, nutrition, musculoskeletal alignment, psychological well-being, and social behavior. Oral health should be recognized as an integral component of this framework. This proposed protocol provides parents, coaches, certified athletic trainers, and dental and medical professionals with a reference framework to help identify risk factors and promote preventive behaviors early in athletic development.
Systemic and oral health relationship is the first component addressing how oral diseases and disorders, nutritional deficiencies, systemic conditions, and medications may influence athletic health and quality of life.2,3 Pre-participation evaluations offer opportunities to identify relevant concerns, establish referral pathways, and provide education to athletes and families. For example, cardiovascular history and common cardiopathies in young athletes warrant particular attention, with dental professionals contributing to multidisciplinary communication when appropriate.4
Injury prevention and oral protection education are central components to sports dentistry. Properly fitted mouthguards can reduce the risk of dental trauma in contact and collision sports.5,6Early implementation of mouthguard programs may normalize their use and improve compliance. These programs should address selection, fitting, maintenance, replacement, and consistent use during training and competition. Familiarization with governing bodies’ sports guard rules should also be shared. Additionally, promoting multisport participation and avoiding excessive early specialization may reduce repetitive loading and overuse injuries.7,8
Nutrition and eating behaviors are equally important. Performance expectations, body-image concerns, weight-class requirements, and aesthetic pressures may contribute to inadequate energy intake or disordered-eating.⁴ These behaviors can affect systemic and oral health, increasing the risk of dental erosion, caries, oral pain, nutritional deficiencies, and impaired recovery.9,10 Educational resources should emphasize balanced nutrition, hydration, and early recognition of concerning behaviors.
The protocol also considers pubertal and physiological changes, including hormonal fluctuations, growth spurts, body composition, and neuromuscular coordination, which may influence training, injury risk, and recovery. Assessments should consider posture, orthopedic development, jaw position, occlusion, and body alignment as screening and educational opportunities, not substitutes for clinical diagnosis.
Psychological well-being should also be addressed, considering performance pressure, body image, peer relationships, and social media influences.11 Adults should encourage enjoyable, developmentally appropriate participation and recognize when professional support is needed.
Implementation of these guidelines requires collaboration among families, coaches, certified athletic trainers, and healthcare professionals. This framework is intended as an educational and prevention resource, not a replacement for individualized clinical assessment. Future research should evaluate these guidelines’ feasibility, acceptance, and effectiveness in improving oral-health behaviors, mouthguard compliance, injury prevention, and overall integration of young athlete’s general health and well-being.
Conclusion: General and oral health coordination and education may strengthen preventive health behaviors and promote safer, healthier youth sports participation.
Key words: youth, sports, dentistry, eating disorders, nutrition, mouthguard, occlusion, oral health
References
1. Heather J Clark a,b, Martin Camiré c, Terrance J Wade d, et al. Sport participation and its
association with social and psychological factors known to predict substance use and
abuse among youth: A scoping review of the literature. Int Rev Sport Exerc Psychol.
2015 Nov 16;8(1):224–250. doi: 10.1080/1750984X.2015.1068829
2. World Health Organization. Global oral health status report: towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030. World Health Organization; 2022.
3. Petersen PE. The World Oral Health Report 2003: continuous improvement of oral health in the 21st century—the approach of the WHO Global Oral Health Programme. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2003;31(suppl 1):3-23. doi:10.1046/j..2003.com122.x
Maron BJ, Levine BD, Washington RL, Baggish AL, Kovacs RJ, Maron MS. Eligibility and disqualification recommendations for competitive athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities: Task Force 2: preparticipation screening for cardiovascular disease in competitive athletes. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015;66(21):2356-2361. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2015.09.034
Knapik JJ, Marshall SW, Lee RB, et al. Mouthguards in sport activities: history, physical properties and injury prevention effectiveness. Sports Med. 2007;37(2):117-144. doi:10.2165/00007256-200737020-00003
American Dental Association. Using mouthguards to prevent oral injuries. Accessed September 26, 2026.
Jayanthi N, Pinkham C, Dugas L, Patrick B, Labella C. Sports specialization in young athletes: evidence-based recommendations. Sports Health. 2013;5(3):251-257. doi:10.1177/1941738112464626
Bell DR, Post EG, Trigsted SM, et al. Prevalence of sport specialization in high school athletics: a systematic review. J Athl Train. 2016;51(5):379-386. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-51.5.03
Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen J, Burke L, et al. IOC consensus statement on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S): 2018 update. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(11):687-697. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099193
Mehler PS, Rylander M. Bulimia nervosa—medical complications. J Eat Disord. 2015;3:12. doi:10.1186/s40337-015-0044-8
Gouttebarge V, Castaldelli-Maia JM, Gorczynski P, et al. Occurrence of mental health symptoms and disorders in current and former elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(11):700-706. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-100671