Real Madrid’s Camavinga sidelined by dental issue that can increase injury risk

Camavinga is the latest example at Real Madrid, proof that just as nutrition, biomechanics and podiatry have become central to modern soccer, dentistry has also found its place in club medical departments.

The Frenchman was ruled out of the match against Getafe due to a dental problem he has not yet recovered from and is unlikely to be included in the squad traveling to Vigo (League match against Celta Vigo, Friday, kick off at 3 p.m. ET).

An infection in one of his molars has sidelined him, something that may sound simple but is far more complex. Numerous studies indicate that issues like this can increase the risk of injury and reduce performance. Last season his compatriot Kylian Mbappé went through a similar situation that kept him out for nearly two weeks.

Dental health is now monitored closely in elite soccer. No club today would consider investing tens of millions of dollars in a player without including a detailed dental examination in the medical tests before signing him.

It happened, for example, in 2009. AC Milan halted the last-minute signing of left back Aly Cissokho from Porto. Club doctors concluded that the player suffered from malocclusion, an irregular contact between the upper and lower teeth, which could have had bone and muscular consequences for his spine..

The impact of dental issues on sporting performance

“A simple cavity or inflammation increases fatigue, the athlete recovers much more poorly from a muscular standpoint, it affects endurance and raises the risk of injuries that can even become recurring,” María Gámez Torrico, a dentist specializing in the field and a collaborator with the Diablillo de Rivas triathlon club, told AS. “Ultimately, having a healthy mouth reduces the risk of injury and helps improve performance.”

“The jaw,” Dr. Gámez Torrico continues, “is closely connected with the rest of the body. A small infection or cavity can even lead to endocarditis, which is a heart condition. And of course it can also end up affecting the body at the muscular level.” In elite sports there is also a factor that aggravates dental problems. “A key issue is the high intake of gels and carbohydrates. In the end all of this increases the likelihood of cavities if dental care is not taken to the extreme.”

The Dani Carvajal case

Before his serious knee injury, Dani Carvajal found himself caught in a spiral of muscular problems that prevented him from performing normally. The right back himself revealed that he turned to a nutritionist who changed his life by removing gluten from his diet, among other recommendations. But there was something else.

According to a report by Relevo in 2024, the defender also sought treatment at a dental clinic. The treatment he underwent helped mitigate some of the injuries he had been suffering and improved his performance. Something as simple as identifying the problem, undergoing invisible orthodontic treatment and wearing splints at night helped stabilize his musculature.

Real Madrid includes dental checkups at the start of the season along with the rest of the medical evaluations of each player. The club also carries out follow-up checks every six months, although it does not yet have a dentist integrated into the first-team medical staff. At Barcelona, it was Hansi Flick who pushed the club to strengthen its approach in this area. Studies linking oral health with athletic performance are clear. But the problem was detected long ago. At the 1986 World Cup, Rafael Gordillo and Rincón arrived in Mexico with severe dental cavities that were linked to calf pain. Once the dental problem was resolved, the muscle discomfort disappeared. It was the first clue for team doctor Guillem at the time to connect dental issues with muscular problems.

At the London Olympics, consultations for dental issues accounted for 30% of visits to the medical center in the Olympic Village. A later study of 352 athletes from 11 different sports found that 49% had some form of dental cavity, however minor. At the 2016 Games, 50% of the Dutch delegation required some form of dental treatment, such is the amount of energy gels athletes consume. These are just a few figures, but they reflect the reality Camavinga is experiencing now: two games sidelined because of a cavity.

“Given the high consumption of gels and the fact that nearly 90% of them are sugar, I recommend that the rest of the diet be very healthy and balanced and that processed foods be avoided,” Gámez Torrico says. “After taking a gel, it is also advisable to drink some water right away, perhaps use fluoride treatments or other preventive measures to avoid cavities. And checkups should be done at least every six months.”

The impact of oral health

Beyond injuries and performance, poor dental health has also been linked to serious cardiovascular problems. Numerous studies have found that people suffering from periodontal disease or chronic oral infections have higher rates of heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular events. Researchers believe the connection lies largely in inflammation: bacteria from infected gums can enter the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation that damages blood vessels and contributes to the buildup of plaque in arteries.

While scientists caution that the relationship is complex and not purely cause-and-effect, the association is consistent across many studies. Some research suggests that people with gum disease may be roughly twice as likely to suffer heart attacks or other serious cardiovascular events compared with those with healthy gums. The evidence has grown strong enough that cardiology and dental groups increasingly emphasize oral hygiene as part of overall health, highlighting how something as routine as brushing, flossing and regular dental checkups may also play a role in protecting the heart.

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