Physical Activity, Hydration, and Oral Health in Physical Education and Sports

Resumo

Objective: To examine the relationship between hydration habits, physical activity, and oral health in students’ physical education and sport (PES), focusing on water intake before, during, and after training, consumption of sugary and sports drinks, dry mouth, and use of additional oral hygiene products. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 121 students (67 males, 54 females; 18–25 years) engaged in regular physical activity. Data were collected via a 14-item structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ² goodness-of-fit tests, Cramer’s V, and Spearman’s rank correlation to assess the relationships between hydration, physical activity, and oral health indicators. Results: Most students reported regular physical activity, with 89.2% training ≥3 times per week and 76% training >60 minutes per session. Daily water intake exceeded four glasses for 70.2% of students, though 29.7% consumed insufficient fluids. During training, 9.9% did not drink water, and 44.6% experienced dry mouth at least occasionally. Sports and sugary drinks were consumed regularly by 16.6% and 4.1%, respectively. All students brushed their teeth at least twice daily, but only 20.7% used additional hygiene products. χ² and Cramer’s V analyses revealed statistically significant deviations from uniform responses (p < 0.01), with moderate-to-very strong patterns in hydration, training, oral hygiene, and awareness of hydration’s impact on oral health.  Spearman correlations revealed that higher water intake was negatively associated with dry mouth (ρ = −0.41 to −0.48), dry mouth was positively associated with oral problems (ρ = 0.42), and consumption of sports/sugary drinks was moderately positively correlated with oral problems (ρ = 0.29–0.35). Physical activity frequency and duration were positively associated with dry mouth (ρ = 0.27–0.34), while additional oral hygiene use was negatively associated with oral problems (ρ = −0.31). Conclusion: Students PES generally maintain adequate hydration and oral hygiene habits, but certain risk behaviors persist, including inadequate fluid intake during exercise, consumption of acidic/sugary drinks, and limited use of additional hygiene products. The observed correlations underscore the link between hydration practices, physical activity, and oral health outcomes.