Is Exercise Bad for Your Teeth?

We all know that we’re supposed to stay active. Regular exercise reduces stress, improves sleep, and helps us keep our bodies ready for the beach! However those positive effects may not extend to your teeth according to a study published in The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. The study found that athletes who undergo heavy training can expect to experience an increased chance of dental problems.

There have been hints in the past that athletes could have a heightened risk for cavities and other oral issues. In a study published last year in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, dentists who examined 278 athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London reported that a majority displayed “poor oral health,” including high levels of tooth decay, often in conjunction with gum disease and erosion of the tooth enamel. The athletes came from the United States and Europe as well as less-developed parts of the world, and most had access to good-quality dentistry, although many had not visited a dentist in the last year. (“Is Exercise Bad for Your Teeth?,” New York Times, 9/24/2014)

Researchers are not ready to say why exercise negatively affects oral health. Many assume that sugary sports drinks could be to blame. One reason might also be the amount of saliva present in the mouths of athletes. As a person engages in strenuous physical activity, the amount of saliva produced lessens, while the alkaline present in the saliva increases. This alkalinity is linked to the development of tarter plaques and enamel erosion.

In order to reduce the risk associated with intense exercise, athletes probably want to make sure that they are consuming plenty of water during their workouts. Of course, regular brushing, flossing, and routine professional dental cleanings doesn’t hurt either.

Best Brushing Technique? Who can say…

When it comes to the best way to brush your teeth, dental professionals often do not agree.

Researchers in Britain scoured the information available from dental textbooks, research studies, and  15 of the world’s leading dental associations and found little agreement among the supposed dental health “experts” about the best way to brush.

According to an article in the New York Times, “the study, published in the August issue of the British Dental Journal, found no randomized trials of brushing technique and very little agreement on how to go about cleaning teeth.” ‘Randomized trials’ are the gold standard of clinical study design. Without them, dental professionals are left to debate amongst themselves the relative merits of different brushing techniques.

Sources fall into two main camps. The first group, including the American Dental Association, recommends the Bass technique, which calls for holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and brushing in short back-and-forth strokes. While others suggest the Fones technique, with its wide, sweeping circles over the entire surface of the tooth.

Our office recommends the use of the modified Bass technique. You can watch this short video to see Dr. Berdy explain the best way to make sure you are taking care of your teeth for a lifetime.