“Often when discussing dental problems, one of the most important aspects is overlooked: the strong correlation between oral health and the individual’s systemic conditions, as occurs, just to give an example, in the correlation between gingival inflammation and diabetes.” Thus, Massimiliano Sirignano, a dental surgeon, specialist in Oral Surgery, and adjunct professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, presents some of the topics of his speech at the conference on “Sport, Environment and Health” to be held in Naples on Wednesday, October 8, at the Villa Doria D’Angri headquarters of the University of Parthenope. The initiative, organized with the sponsorship, among others, of the Sbarro Health Research Organization of Philadelphia, the Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Southern High School, will gather in Naples some of the leading experts in the scientific field from numerous disciplines such as endocrinologist Annamaria Colao and oncologist Paolo Ascierto and in particular illustrious experts in sports medicine such as Raffaele Canonico, medical director of SSCNapoli, and Enrico Castellacci, former medical director of the Italian national football team. During the conference, organized under the scientific direction of Patrizia Maiorano and the work of an internationally renowned scientific committee with the presence of Prof. Antonio Giordano, Prof. Massimiliano Sirignano, for over 15 years a dental consultant for SSC Napoli, will give a presentation on the topic of “Prevention and Dental Therapy in Sports.” “When talking about dentistry, sports, and health – Sirignano points out – one usually thinks of the traumatic aspect or the biomechanical correlations in dysfunctional patients, but the most important aspect, that of the correlation between oral health and systemic conditions, is overlooked. Throughout my career, we have treated with Dr. Valentino Tundisi, also a consultant for SSC Napoli, and with other colleagues on our team, dozens of professional athletes but also and above all hundreds of ‘ordinary’ people, and in both cases, we have found how strong the correlation between oral health and general health of individuals can be.” There are, for example, solid scientific evidence, with related clinical recommendations, that correlate gingival inflammation with diabetes and insulin resistance, as highlighted by a joint document between the Italian Society of Periodontology, the Association of Diabetologists, and the Italian Society of Diabetology showing how periodontal therapy induces a significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin values. The same goes for cardiovascular diseases. Periodontitis, for example, is considered an independent risk factor for arterial hypertension, heart attack, and stroke, as clarified by a joint document of the European Federation of Periodontology and the World Federation of Cardiology. Many scientific data, although currently derived from observational studies, also tell us that athletic performance can be affected by systemic inflammation originating from the oral cavity. “This is why prevention becomes fundamental – emphasizes Sirignano – and, compared to past decades, regarding the awareness of the importance of prevention, there has unfortunately been a regression also due to the advent of social media, which often promote models far from reality. And when it comes to health, it is essential to pay close attention to carefully evaluate the messages conveyed by these new communication tools.”
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