According to a new study, four in 10 football stars have rotten teeth because they hardly pay attention to dental care.
Lead author Ian Needleman of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute while speaking with AFP said “We came across several players with tooth decay so deep that it was into the nerve and creating an infection in the jaw.”
The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine accessed dental care among pro footballers.
Needleman led dentists and doctors in examining 187 players at eight clubs in England and Wales
At least 90 per cent of players in each squad were examined and questioned about their health.
Thirty-seven per cent had active tooth decay, the researchers found, and more than half had teeth eroded by acid.
Eight in 10 players had gum disease, with half the mouth affected in three out of four players. For one in 20, damage to the gums was irreversible.
Needleman added that “I think they were aware (of the decay), but for various reasons were putting off treatment.
“We also found players with wisdom tooth infections, which can be extremely debilitating and painful.”