From one week to the next, behaviors and foods are lauded in the news, then vilified. Opinions turn on a dime. Suddenly, wine is good for teeth. Suddenly, stevia has plummeted from its pedestal.

Despite the fickle nature of the media, three opinions have steadfastly prevailed for centuries: Get eight hours of sleep per night. Eat a good diet. And of course, exercise.

At least until recently. One study has raised the question of whether exercise is detrimental to the teeth. According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, there could be a correlation between exercise and tooth decay.

Heavy training, the study argues, could contribute to dental problems in a multitude of unexpected ways. The British Journal of Sports Medicine examined 278 athletes and found that a disproportionately high number had a multitude of oral problems: from cavities to gum disease to the erosion of tooth enamel.

The natural conclusion, at first, was to blame sugary sports drinks often consumed by athletes—and not the exercise itself.

The results, however, sparked interest: Recently a study of 35 competitive triathletes and non-athlete healthy adults was carried out at University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany.

The participants were asked to report their diet, exercise and oral hygiene habits. Oral exams were performed, including collection of saliva. Fifteen of the athletes also had their saliva collected multiple times during a 35-minute, vigorous run.

The results from the athlete and non-athlete groups showed stark differences: Not only did the athletes have more cavities, but there was a direct correlation between the amount of exercise and the amount of erosion, decay and other oral health issues. There was also, of course, a correlation between amount of physical activity and reduction of saliva—even if beverages were consumed during exercise. During the experimental runs, the chemical composition of the participants’ saliva also changed: more alkaline was produced. Alkaline is known to contribute to tartar, plaque and other problems.

There was no correlation, however, between sports drink consumption and oral health. Additionally, there were no differences in the amount or chemical make-up in the saliva of the athlete and non-athlete groups after both had rested.

Dr. Cornelia Frese, a senior dentist at University Hospital Heidelberg, led the study and commented on the results:

“We had thought sports drinks and nutrition might have the most detrimental influence on dental decay,” she said, “but we saw no direct link” between them. Because saliva “has a very protective function for teeth,” Dr. Frese said, having less of it or a chemically different version during exercise could be the culprit in increased tooth decay.

Still, this study should be taken with a grain of salt: it was small and short-term. “The athletes participating in our study had a mean weekly training time of nine hours,” Dr. Frese continued.

Her tentative conclusion based on the study’s data is that “prolonged endurance training might be a risk factor for oral health. Whether less frequent or intense exercise would likewise affect oral health is uncertain but unlikely,” Dr. Frese said.

So what’s an avid exerciser to do if they want to protect their teeth? Drink water—despite the lack of a solid correlation between hydration and oral health. And of course, brush and floss.

Have you noticed a correlation between heavily active patients and tooth decay? Weigh in below.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this, or any case study post in Incisor should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece. DOCS Education accepts no liability whatsoever for any damages resulting from any direct or indirect recipient's use of or failure to use any of the information contained herein. DOCS Education would be happy to answer any questions or concerns mailed to us at 106 Lenora Street, Seattle, WA 98121. Please print a copy of this posting and include it with your question or request.

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The information contained in this, or any case study post in Incisor, should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece. DOCS Education accepts no liability whatsoever for any damages resulting from any direct or indirect recipient's use of or failure to use any of the information contained herein. DOCS Education would be happy to answer any questions or concerns mailed to us at 3250 Airport Way S, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98134. Please print a copy of this posting and include it with your question or request.
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