Director Lee Byung-jin Delivers Special Lecture at the National Team Training Center
Lee Byung-jin, Director of the Preventive Care Department at Minish Dental Hospital, visited the Jincheon National Training Center on the 18th to introduce oral care methods for preventing a decline in athletic performance under the theme “Winning Smile, Winning Performance: A Strong Body Starts with a Healthy Mouth.” This was the second such event, following a lecture by Director Choi Jin-ho in June.
Dr. Lee stated, “Toothaches send strong stimuli to the brain, directly affecting athletic performance.” He explained that when blood pressure and heart rate rise during competition, blood flow accelerates, causing athletes to perceive pain they would not normally feel; this stimulation can impair muscle performance at critical moments.
He also highlighted management strategies related to daily habits. “It’s best to minimize the frequency of consuming high-acidity sports drinks during exercise and to reduce habitual mouth breathing,” he said, explaining the causes of tooth erosion commonly experienced by athletes and offering solutions.
He also reiterated the importance of daily oral care, stating, “No matter how tired you are, you should always make sure to brush your teeth before bed.”
National diving team member Moon Na-yoon expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’ve had to visit the dentist frequently since I was young, and I still suffer from tooth sensitivity, but I was able to learn essential oral care techniques.” She added, “I didn’t realize that toothaches could even affect my performance, so I’ll have to pay more attention to this from now on.”
