With this pandemic, it has been seen that people pay more attention to their personal care. How important is dentistry in times of COVID-19?

The pandemic has undoubtedly changed our lifestyles; it has fostered personal care and self-esteem. We have had more time to tend to our own bodies and to focus on the defects of our smile. There is no doubt that people are more aware of the treatments available and potential improvements that can be made to their mouths, and thus, the demand for dental care has increased.

How might some oral conditions affect athletic performance?

Dental occlusion, parafunctions, the presence of metals in old prostheses, malpositioned wisdom teeth or infections can clearly cause a decline in athletic performance and a risk of recurring lesions. Of course, careful clinical and instrumental analysis offers the opportunity to catch any possible causes and put an end to these lesions and/or improve athletic performance.

What oral problem did Leonardo Spinazzola have and how did you discover that it affected him in terms of lesions?

Like so many of the other professional football players and athletes I have followed for years, Leonardo Spinazzola had an occlusion and parafunction problem that had never been studied.

What treatment was applied?

This problem was detected using technologies and instruments that could objectively reveal the imbalance, thereby allowing for the application of an appropriate therapeutic strategy. Specifically with him, a splint was applied to rebalance his occlusion and posture.

How does dental malocclusion affect athletic performance? Do you know of any other similar case of an oral health problem affecting sports performance?

There are many athletes I follow in the different sports, and I help them improve their performance. This year has been a year of Olympic Games and European Championships, and there are many athletes who have won Olympic medals in different sports and who we have followed to help them achieve their maximum athletic activity and performance level.

How do you think awareness about the importance of oral health can be improved among society?

Today, social networks are a very important element to help spread and raise awareness about oral health, and if used properly, they can serve as an excellent vehicle of help, prevention and the spreading of correct information.

What advice can you offer our readers to take care of their oral health?

My advice is simply to pay attention and dedicate time to oral hygiene at home and to get regular check-ups in dental offices that offer advanced technology, so that dental problems be prevented, and the mouth can be treated to improve quality of life.