Dr Saul Konviser — Oral Health in Sport: An Integrated Approach to Athlete Wellbeing — Injury Rehab Network

The latest Injury Rehab Network event, delivered by BASRaT and Sterosport on Monday, 12 October 2026, welcomed Dr Saul Konviser for a presentation on oral health in sport.

Drawing on clinical cases and his work with athletes, Saul explored how dental problems can affect wellbeing, training and competition, and the role of sports medicine and rehabilitation professionals in recognising concerns and supporting access to dental care.

Watch the recording here.

Please note that the recording started late, so the introduction and part of the opening presentation are missing. The recording begins partway through Saul’s talk and includes the remainder of the presentation and the audience Q&A.

Dr Saul Konviser BDS MSc BSc

Dr Saul Konviser, BDS, MSc, BSc, is Co-Founder, Partner, and Sports Dentist at Centennial Park Dental. He holds a degree in Physiology & Pharmacology from UWE Bristol and a Master’s in International Health Policy from the London School of Economics, and qualified in Dentistry at King’s College London, training initially within the NHS before moving into private practice.

Saul has a strong academic and clinical focus on sports dentistry and is a published researcher in the field, with work on the oral health of professional academy footballers appearing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. He works closely with professional and amateur athletes and sports organisations on the links between oral health, performance, and overall wellbeing, including dental trauma assessment and treatment, as well as injury prevention. He is also a Trustee of the Dental Wellness Trust charity, which delivers supervised toothbrushing programmes to over 50,000 children in schools across England, South Africa, and Kenya.

Dr Konviser’s presentation, Oral Health in Sport: An Integrated Approach to Athlete Wellbeing, considered the latest evidence-based approaches to managing oral health in sport.

Oral health and athlete availability

Saul highlighted the importance of considering oral health as part of an athlete’s wider care. Pain, difficulty eating and disrupted sleep can affect fuelling, concentration, and the ability to train. Dental emergencies can also mean missed sessions or competitions.

His message was to “put the mouth back into the body,” recognising that oral health belongs alongside the other aspects of health and wellbeing already considered by sports medicine teams.

Recognising risks and supporting prevention

The presentation explored the oral health challenges athletes may face, including dental decay, gum problems, tooth wear and the effects of clenching and grinding.

Saul discussed how frequent exposure to sugary or acidic sports products, alongside reduced saliva during exercise, can create a challenging oral environment. He emphasised the importance of dentists working with nutritionists and dietitians to reduce dental risks while supporting the athlete’s fuelling and recovery needs.

Simple habits remained central to his message, including brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between the teeth and attending dental appointments. The Q&A also explored why athletes should spit out excess toothpaste rather than rinse immediately after brushing, and why mouthwash should be used at a separate time.

Dental trauma and mouthguards

Clinical examples illustrated why dental injuries require appropriate assessment and follow-up, even when the initial damage appears minor. Saul described cases in which problems developed months or years after an injury, reinforcing the importance of ongoing dental review.

He encouraged clubs and practitioners to establish dental trauma pathways and relationships with local dental services, so that athletes can access timely care when an injury occurs.

Mouthguards were another key topic. Saul discussed the benefits of a well-fitting custom-made guard, while recognising that cost can be a barrier. Questions from attendees explored mouthguards for younger athletes, including how growth and orthodontic treatment can be considered when planning protection.

Integrating oral health into athlete care

Saul outlined opportunities to integrate oral health into existing care pathways, such as pre-season assessments, preparation for travel or competition, and return from injury.

For professionals working with athletes, the focus was on asking relevant questions, recognising concerns, and signposting appropriately. Dental screening can help identify risks and engage athletes, but Saul stressed that it does not replace a full dental examination.

He also highlighted that education alone is unlikely to create lasting behaviour change. Athletes need the skills, opportunity, and motivation to maintain healthy habits, supported by their environment and the wider team.

Useful links

Saul recommended the following links and resources for practitioners:

• Mouth Cancer Foundation
• Delivering Better Oral Health Toolkit

Questions and discussion

The audience Q&A covered a broad range of practical topics, including recurrent mouth ulcers, female athlete health, endurance fuelling, chewing gum and the management of dental trauma.

Throughout the discussion, Saul returned to the value of collaboration. Bringing dental professionals into the wider sports medicine team can help identify concerns earlier and support a more complete approach to athlete health.

Thank you to Dr Saul Konviser for sharing his knowledge and experience, and to everyone who attended and contributed questions.

Further information and follow Dr Saul Konviser

For more information, visit:

Centennial Park Dental
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Dr Saul Konviser
LinkedIn Profile

Presentation recording

The full presentation and audience Q&A can be viewed here.

References

• Needleman I, Ashley P, Fine P, et al., Oral health and elite sport performance. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2015;49:3-6.

• Konviser SN, Nurek M, Needleman I, Fine P. Disadvantage starts early: academy football has high levels of oral disease. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2025;11:e002245.

• Gallagher J, Ashley P, Needleman I. Implementation of a behavioural change intervention to enhance oral health behaviours in elite athletes: a feasibility study. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2020; DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000759.

• Needleman I, Ashley P, Fairbrother T, et al Nutrition and oral health in sport: time for action. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2018;52:1483-1484.

• Reddy A, Norris DF, Momeni SS, Waldo B, Ruby JD. The pH of beverages in the United States. J Am Dent Assoc. 2016 Apr;147(4):255-63

2026 Injury Rehab Network events

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