How has your New Year been treating you? We hope that you’re continuously working towards your resolutions and accomplishing each and every one of them! Between dieting, exercising, and other lifestyle changes, you may not notice how one change can affect other aspects of your health. Below, your Bethesda dentist delves into the ways that exercise can negatively affect your smile if you’re not aware of the potential problems you could run into.

Cavities and Tooth Decay

While everyone is at risk for cavities and tooth decay, athletes have a higher intake of sports drinks, energy bars, and other sugar-filled items that could be overwhelming for their teeth and gums. While not every athlete will be negatively affected this way, it’s always important to keep up with your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing twice a day, every day.

Dental Grinding/Bruxism

Clenching and grinding your teeth typically happens out of habit or due to your anxiety, but athletic activities like weightlifting can cause people to grit their teeth and brace themselves during this strenuous activity. Be careful! The more you clench your teeth, the more likely you are to suffer from severe jaw pain, which can potentially lead to TMJ. Don’t be afraid to ask us about utilizing a mouth guard to protect your smile.

Lack of Saliva

You don’t typically think about your saliva when you’re exercising, but as you’re sweating and panting, you may not be producing enough to protect your mouth, which is one of saliva’s most important jobs. Your mouth can become drier when you’re working out due to the lack of saliva being produced, which can negatively affect the strength of your teeth and cause them to become weaker.

Exercising is one of the best things you can do for your body, so we greatly encourage it, but your Bethesda dentist wants to be sure your smile doesn’t miss out on the best care in 2019, either! Call our office at 301- 652-3997 to schedule your appointment today.