Oral health issues for adolescent athletes.

Adolescent athletes are faced with a myriad of influences that can affect their oral health. During these formative years, the choices adolescents make regarding health could have repercussions throughout their lives. Health professionals can play an important role in educating their patients to make wise decisions. By becoming more aware of the health risks to which athletes are exposed,health professionals can learn to recognize these unhealthy behaviors and recommend appropriate prevention and cessation strategies to their patients who participate in sports.