title: Poor oral health including active caries in 187 UK professional male football players: clinical dental examination performed by dentists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The few studies that have assessed oral health in professional/elite football suggest poor oral health with minimal data on impact on performance. The aim of this research was to determine oral health in a representative sample of professional footballers in the UK and investigate possible determinants of oral health and self-reported impact on well-being, training and performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical oral health examination of senior squad players using standard methods and outcomes carried out at club training facilities. Questionnaire data were also collected. 8 teams were included, 5 Premier League, 2 Championship and 1 League One.
  
  
  RESULTS
  6 dentists examined 187 players who represented >90% of each senior squad. Oral health was poor: 37% players had active dental caries, 53% dental erosion and 5% moderate-severe irreversible periodontal disease. 45% were bothered by their oral health, 20% reported an impact on their quality of life and 7% on training or performance. Despite attendance for dental check-ups, oral health deteriorated with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first large, representative sample study in professional football. Oral health of professional footballers is poor, and this impacts on well-being and performance. Successful strategies to promote oral health within professional football are urgently needed, and research should investigate models based on best evidence for behaviour change and implementation science. Furthermore, this study provides strong evidence to support oral health screening within professional football.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Periodontology, International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Needleman
authors.affiliation: Unit of Paediatric Dentistry, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.affiliation: Parade House Dental Centre, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Lyndon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biostatistics, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Aviva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.affiliation: West Ham United Football Club, Sports Medicine & Sports Science Department, West Ham United FC Training Ground, Chadwell Heath, Essex, UK University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & UCLH Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, London, UK The FA Centre for Disability Football Research, Burton-Upon-Trent, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.affiliation: Football Medicine & Science Department, Manchester United Football Club, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.affiliation: Ayer Surgery, Hull, UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayer
authors.affiliation: Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Maple Dental Care, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Lewes High Street Dental Practice, Lewes, UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kell
authors.affiliation: Swansea, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ridgewell
authors.affiliation: Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D058250:Dental Restoration Repair / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003945:Diagnosis, Oral; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dentistry; Football; Illness; Teeth