Teeth, Trails, and VO2max: Why Oral Health Matters More Than You Think

"Yet most athletes still overlook the one system that can quietly drain speed, stamina, and sleep recovery: the oral system. Over the last 15 years, studies have linked oral problems to endurance outcomes through multiple pathways: low-grade inflammation that blunts recovery and has been associated with small drops in VO2max, pain that derails fueling, bruxism that shreds deep sleep and overnight HRV, and bite mechanics that ripple into posture and load distribution."

"At the 2012 Olympic Games in England, a clinical evaluation of 278 athletes found dental caries - the disease that causes tooth decay and ultimately cavities - in 55% of study participants, dental erosion in 45%, gingivitis in 76%, and periodontitis in 15%. Among the athletes studied, 28% reported that oral health had impacted their quality of life, and 18% noted detrimental effects on their training and performance (1). If that's the picture in Olympians, weekend warriors shouldn't assume they're immune."

"Twenty years ago, I was a member of Spain's national biathlon team. Two days before a Spanish National Cup race, a dental abscess forced me onto antibiotics, and racing felt like driving with the handbrake on: heavy legs, odd fatigue, no extra gear. That was my first lesson that oral health can affect athletic performance. In the modern sports era, we track TrainingPeaks charts, chase perfect HRV, count carbs per hour, buy $300 super shoes, and book medical check-ups."

Oral health affects endurance, recovery, sleep, and biomechanics through multiple physiological pathways. Low-grade oral inflammation blunts recovery and correlates with modest VO2max reductions. Dental pain can disrupt fueling strategies and training consistency. Bruxism fragments deep sleep and lowers overnight heart rate variability, degrading recovery quality. Bite mechanics and malocclusion alter posture and load distribution, increasing injury risk and inefficient force transfer. High prevalence of dental disease appears even in elite athletes, with common caries, erosion, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Small or chronic oral issues can cumulatively impair performance during prolonged efforts.

Read at iRunFar