Why do top calibre athletes get an F for dental hygiene?

While they are the epitome of what the human body is capable of doing, Olympic athletes have one Achilles heel — their dental health.

The International Olympic Committee ( IOC) called for studies to look into the oral health of athletes after athletes encountered numerous dental problems at the 2008 games in Beijing.

Among the Olympians who had considerable dental problems that may have resulted in a ban from participating in competitions was Michael Jordan at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

He was the top scorer on the US team, which won gold medal at the time.

The IOC said excessive sports beverage intake, long hours of training and refueling only with acidic, teeth-eroding sweet drinks, gels, bars and even frequent meals could be the culprit.

Dehydration from excessive sweating also lessens the production of saliva which is needed for tooth enamel regeneration.