A first-of-its-kind oral health department has been created for the Paris 2024 Olympics to provide athletes with more specialised dental care.
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has introduced an on-site oral health department in the capital, which will offer ‘precise and personalised medical services’ – including emergency care – to those competing.
According to the committee, the department will provide screenings to check and diagnose possible issues, offer specialist treatment when needed, and carry out X-rays and analysis to support prevention.
They will also replace athletes’ mouth guards.
Healthcare at Paris 2024
The oral health department in the Olympic Polyclinic will prioritise urgent treatment in Paris. Athletes were asked to bring along their dental records so that in the event of an oral health issue, it will speed up the process and help clinicians choose the correct treatment.
In addition, there will be an Oral-B dental clinic that will be open daily from 8am to 8pm for general appointments and 24/7 for emergency services. Located in the Polyclinic in the southeast part of the Olympic Village, participants can book an appointment in advance.
Alongside specialised dental care, there will be a health clinic available with the capacity to treat up to 700 patients per day in the Olympic Village. There will be specialists on hand for most health concerns, two MRI machines as well as a pharmacy.
And for the first time during an Olympic Games, organisers have committed to a dedicated mental health space.
There is also a focus on nutrition at this year’s games. Philipp Würz, who heads up food at Paris 2024, said this was a key focus after he read that 20{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} of athletes’ meals during the London Olympics were consumed at McDonald’s.
He described it as a ‘much healthier menu’, with chefs’ menus developed alongside sports nutritionists.
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