{"id":63,"date":"2022-06-03T22:23:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T22:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hermendental.com\/blog\/?p=63"},"modified":"2023-10-09T15:24:47","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T15:24:47","slug":"how-exercise-affects-your-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hermendental.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/03\/how-exercise-affects-your-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How Exercise Affects Your Oral Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When was the last time you visited the gym? How about the last time you went for a jog? Regular exercise is very important for maintaining a healthy body\u2014but did you know that exercise also affects your mouth? In fact, exercise can have quite a few unintended consequences on your oral health, even leading to dental emergencies<\/a> in some cases! Keep reading to learn more about the impact that exercise can have on your oral health along with some tips for keeping your smile in top shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Exercise Can Damage Your Smile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t take long for the effects of intense exercise or physical activity to begin taking a toll on your oral health. The problem often starts with jaw-clenching or teeth grinding\u2014both are common during high-intensity workouts or certain spots. If you engage in regular exercise and develop a habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, it can lead to fractured or chipped teeth, or even holes in your teeth! It can also damage your jaw joints\u2014and a TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder can even develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, exercise also poses other risks to your oral health. During exercise, people also often tend to breathe heavily through their open mouth. This dries out your mouth and greatly reduces the flow of saliva, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive. On top of that, adding corrosive sports drinks to the mix only makes things worse for your teeth. These beverages often contain high amounts of sugars and acids along with their beneficial electrolytes, meaning they aren\u2019t good for your teeth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Protecting Your Smile During Exercise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to ensure that your mouth stays protected while you exercise\u2014you don\u2019t have to ease up on your fitness goals! Consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n