As we dash out the door to the spin class of ours or prodentim walk clutching our sports drink - have we stopped and given our teeth a thought? Not likely. Our teeth are taking a hammering in our attempts to become healthy and fit. Do we actually need all those sports drinks?
Each time we sip or snack on our sports drink we're feeding not only ourselves although bacteria in the mouth of ours. These bacteria produce acid which in turn decreases the pH in our mouth and saliva. The drinks often also contain acid for flavouring contributing to the acid problem. As our mouth grows more acidic the mineral of the teeth of ours starts to dissolve. Carry on doing this and we begin to see small demineralised white-colored patches develop on the teeth of ours. Carry on and the white patches become holes and we'd like the trot off to the dentist for a fight up.
So how is it then that we do not continually get holes in the teeth of ours with eating? The body of ours has a built in rescue measure - saliva. Saliva returns the lost nutrients to our teeth following an acid attack. Antibacterial factors contained in the saliva help maintain the plaque levels at bay, but only to a specific level. Saliva additionally neutralizes the acid after eating; however this is going to take time, around about two many hours to get back to a level where further harm does not appear.
Returned to the spin class also we are sipping away on the sports drink of ours, complete the course & carry on house with the bottle of ours continually sipping to prevent dehydration. Nice idea on the dehydration front, but horrible on the teeth forward. Our teeth have finally been exposed to considerable amounts of acid without providing our mouth a chance to recover. This becomes more of a concern in athletes that are also eating regularly for power while training. so not merely are we adding acid and sugar, but the saliva levels of ours are also compromised due to currently being dehydrated, so double whammy for the tooth.
Do we require sports drinks?
If you are training for under 1- 1.5 hours, then no, you don't require a sports drink. So swap the sports drink for only water and you will be doing yourself an enormous favor. You also do not need to have a sports drink (or some flavoured drink) to simply wander around with through the day sipping on. This's resulting in a huge surge in tooth decay levels. In case you believe you must have flavoured water then sit down, drink it and then move on. Don't wander around sipping - you're continually exposing yourself to increased acid levels.
In case you are training for longer than 1-1.5 hours in a session, then yes, you should look at a sports drink. But the way then do we protect our teeth now understanding the dangers of continuous exposure to acid.
1. Always brush as well as floss the teeth of yours prior to exercising - this will remove the volume of plaque as well as bacteria present as a kick off point.
2. Drink and eat as instructed during the training session.
3. Finish with a drink of plain water to rehydrate quickly and begin neutralising the acid level. Also think about a sugar free chewing gum to promote saliva flow.
4. In case you need to eat after training give some thought to having a milk product, in particular some cheese to help prevent tooth decay.
5. Avoid swipe your teeth soon after exercising, the enamel is softer after the acid attack and brushing is able to get rid of tiny quantities of this softened enamel. Leave it for no less than thirty minutes before brushing.
6. Ensure you're brushing and flossing regularly - no less than two times one day.
7. Have regular dental check ups as well as hygiene appointments.
8. Consider some products like a a Savacol mouthwash (no a lot more than once weekly), a fluoride mouthwash along with a calcium product such as Tooth Moose (available from dentists) to keep bacteria levels at bay and bring mineral to your teeth.