When it comes to taking care of your overall health, you might know the importance of exercise. It can get your heart pumping and keep it in great shape. However, while your body may benefit from it, certain habits you do while you work out can harm your smile! To help make sure your teeth stay pristine, here’s what you should know and tips to avoid a dental emergency.
What Can Exercising Do to My Oral Health?
Exercise can actually be good for your grin as it lowers your risk of gum disease. So, you should stick to your routine, but some things you do during your reps can be an issue. These are a few to know:
- Sports drinks can replenish your electrolytes, but they are often sugary and acidic. Both qualities are trouble for your enamel as they can erode it and feed bacteria in the mouth, meaning you may be at a higher risk of decay. In fact, all it takes is five days of consistent drinking to start seeing signs of damage.
- You might breathe through your mouth or clench your teeth during an intense session, but this can dry out your oral cavity. You won’t be able to produce enough saliva to keep it moist, meaning plaque will be able to linger around for longer. Tightening your jaw can also lead to chips, cracks, and increased wear.
- As you get settled into your regimen, you may start to ignore proper safety protocols. You might imagine nothing will happen as you do that stuff consistently, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! All it takes is one mishap to end up with a dental injury or blow to your face.
How Can I Protect My Smile While Working Out?
With all that said, there are simple ways you can avoid any trouble from the habits above! Starting off, you should try to stick to just plain water. It’s gentle and hydrating, so there isn’t any risk of you weakening your enamel. This will also keep your mouth moist, and bacteria will be washed away. If you do want some flavor, then sports drinks in moderation are okay, or you can try out coconut water instead.
When you exert yourself, try to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Making this conscious effort can improve your airflow over time and relax your jaw. Don’t forget to stick to proper safety measures, no matter how trivial they may seem, as they are there for a reason. Consider getting a mouthguard as well, as it can protect your teeth from clenching.
Making these small changes to habits you do while exercising can protect your oral health from any trouble. That way, you can continue making sure your body and grin are in great shape.
About the Practice
At Sunset Hills Dental Co. of Reston, our team is dedicated to helping the local community protect their smiles. Led by Dr. Leah Byars, we are here for your dental emergencies with same-day, after-hours, and weekend urgent appointments. That way, you can get the treatments you need right away when your oral health needs it most. If you want to make sure your workout habits aren’t harming your teeth, schedule an appointment or call our office at (703) 570-1117.