{"id":136,"date":"2025-01-20T17:43:47","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T17:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dedicateddentistrylakewood.com\/blog\/?p=136"},"modified":"2025-02-24T17:46:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T17:46:18","slug":"preventing-problems-how-to-protect-your-smile-during-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dedicateddentistrylakewood.com\/blog\/preventing-problems-how-to-protect-your-smile-during-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventing Problems: How to Protect Your Smile During Exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Man<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If you\u2019re like millions of Americans preparing to ring in the new year, you may already have decided on a few resolutions to improve your health. Popular goals include eating more wholesome foods to lose weight or visiting the gym more frequently to improve physical fitness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although there\u2019s nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel your best, you might hurt your dental condition<\/a> if you\u2019re not careful when you exercise. Continue reading to learn about 3 common issues that can occur and how you can prevent them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Concern #1: Mouth Breathing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that elite athletes are at a higher risk of dental erosion and exercise-dependent cavities? It\u2019s believed this is partly due to changes in saliva production. Your mouth is full of bacteria that thrive in dry conditions. Under normal circumstances, spit keeps your mouth moist and rinses away leftover food, debris, and unwanted germs to protect your enamel from decay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s only natural to huff and puff through your mouth when you\u2019re engaged in cardio activity or struggling to push or pull a heavy weight. However, doing so can cause dry mouth, which could harm your smile. It might seem counterintuitive, but breathing through your nose instead keeps your mouth moist, regulates your breathing rate, and improves oxygen efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concern #2: Teeth Clenching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another common concern is bruxism, or subconsciously clenching your teeth. This often occurs at night while you\u2019re sleeping but can also impact you during the day. Unfortunately, many people grind their upper and lower arches together during strenuous exercise, like weight lifting or sprinting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, your dentist can safeguard your smile by providing a custom-fitted mouthguard. These lightweight shields are made from moldable, shock-absorbing material to protect your pearly whites from sustaining chips, cracks, breaks, or other injuries during physical activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concern #3: Sugary Sports Drinks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people with good intentions to work out more frequently need extra motivation to get moving and out the door. Energy drinks are a popular method of consuming extra vitamins and caffeine to boost your system and enhance your focus to push you through your new routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they also often contain lots of sugar, which attracts harmful bacteria that contribute to oral issues like gum disease and tooth decay. You might find drinking water more beneficial because it keeps you hydrated so your body can better regulate your temperature. It has a neutral pH balance to protect your enamel and rinses harmful germs away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, taking a few simple precautions can safeguard your smile while you meet your fitness goals in the coming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meet the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Tavi Henry takes pride in helping people improve their daily quality of life by enhancing their dental health. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine before committing an additional 400+ hours to continuing education in various topics. He\u2019s also a valued member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Dental Association, so you can trust that you\u2019re in good hands. He can help with everything from providing mouthguards to addressing injuries and offers same-day visits for emergencies so you don\u2019t have to wait for relief. You can request an appointment on the website<\/a> or call (303) 984-1400.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re like millions of Americans preparing to ring in the new year, you may already have decided on a few resolutions to improve your health. Popular goals include eating more wholesome foods to lose weight or visiting the gym more frequently to improve physical fitness. Although there\u2019s nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel your best, you might hurt your dental condition if you\u2019re not careful when you exercise. Continue reading to learn about 3 common issues that can occur and how you can prevent them! (Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPreventing Problems: How to Protect Your Smile During Exercise | Dr. Tavi Henry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you plan on working out more in the new year, continue reading to learn 3 ways to safeguard your smile during exercise!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dedicateddentistrylakewood.com\/blog\/preventing-problems-how-to-protect-your-smile-during-exercise\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Preventing Problems: 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