The Effects of Exercise on Oral Health

For your entire life, you’ve probably only heard about the positives of working out and playing sports, such as how they keep your body healthy and strong. And it’s all true; I myself like to do CrossFit to stay in shape. But while regular exercise is important, it can also have some unintended consequences for your oral health. As a dentist, I want to make sure that my patients are completely aware of the impact that regular exercise can have on their smiles as well as the steps they can take to protect themselves.

Mouth Breathing

When you’re working out, you probably tend to breathe through your mouth more often. This is a problem because mouth breathing can cause your saliva to dry up. A healthy amount of saliva is needed to protect your teeth and gums from bacteria; without it, your risk for cavities and gum disease will be much higher. If you spend a lot of time breathing through your mouth while exercising, you could be creating an environment that’s ideal for harmful bacteria that can lead to bigger dental problems.

Injury Risk

Any physical activity where you might get hit in the mouth can potentially lead to dental problems. Obviously, high-contact sports such as football, basketball, and hockey tend to be the riskiest for teeth. That said, even activities that don’t normally involve contact can end in a dental injury. For example, when running, you might fall and hit your jaw on the ground.

It’s not uncommon to lose teeth as a result of a dental accident that happened while exercising or playing sports. Losing teeth is always a dental emergency and needs to be taken care of immediately. You might also injure your lips, tongue, inner cheeks, and gums as a result of the impact. Left unaddressed, these types of injuries can become infected, causing even further harm.

Sports Drinks

Many people use sports and energy drinks to keep their electrolyte levels up during exercise. But what they don’t realize is that these drinks are acidic and filled with sugars. Drinking them too often can eventually take its toll on your teeth, wearing down the enamel and increasing the risk of cavities. Even worse, the harm caused by sugary and acidic beverages comes from how frequently you drink them; if you’re sipping an energy drink throughout your entire workout, you could be doing more damage than you would simply by downing the entire drink at once.

Positive Effects of Exercise on Oral Health

Lest you think exercise is nothing but bad news for your smile, it’s important to remember that regular physical activity is also a positive for oral health. Studies have shown that exercising regularly tends to be linked with a lower risk of gum disease. This is because physical activity helps reduce inflammation throughout your body, which naturally includes your gums. Furthermore, exercise helps you maintain healthy body weight, and according to researchers, people who maintain the right weight are 40% less likely to develop dental health issues.

So How Can You Protect Your Smile?

Fortunately, it’s possible to keep your smile safe while also reaping the benefits of exercise. Here are some protective steps you can take:

• Always wear a mouthguard while playing sports or working out. This helps keep you safe from any accidents that might occur.

• Drink water instead of sports drinks. If you drink as soon as you feel thirsty, you can keep your body hydrated while minimizing your dependence on electrolytes.

• Research breathing techniques that allow you to relearn how to breathe through your nose during exercise. The Buteyko breathing method is one such technique.

These simple steps will help mitigate the risks to your oral health while letting you enjoy your workout. Remember: if you still have concerns about how your exercise routine is affecting your oral health, you can always speak to your dentist for suggestions.