How Exercise Impacts Your Oral Health: What You Need to Know

Whether you’re concerned with the physical implications of exercise or the mental effects, you won’t find too many negative consequences of partaking in regular exercise. Of course, too much of anything can be a bad thing, and exercise is no different. Too much exercise may lead to injury or burnout, but on the whole, exercise is considered a great thing for your mind and body.

But what about our teeth and our oral health? Can exercise have positive implications for our mouths too? The answer is unsurprisingly yes. But when we dive into the implications of exercise on our dental health, you might be surprised to learn that there are some drawbacks.

This article will give you everything you need to know about how exercise impacts your oral health.

Positive Impacts Of Exercise On Oral Health

Reduced risk of gum disease

Regular exercise has many positive implications. In addition to keeping your body at a healthy weight, preventing heart disease, and improving mental health, regular exercise can also prevent issues from occurring inside your mouth.

Research suggests that those who regularly exercise and work out are less likely to experience inflammation in their body and gums. Given that inflammation and gum disease are closely linked, it can be concluded that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing gum disease.

Stronger immune system

As with exercise, a strong immune system brings benefits to your whole body. This includes your mouth and teeth which will benefit from your body’s ability to fight bacteria and infections in the mouth.

The majority of issues in our mouths are caused by a build-up of bacteria so taking precautions to strengthen your immune system will prevent major issues like gum disease and tooth decay. While exercise will help strengthen your immune system, it should be supported by things like brushing regularly, going to the dentist, and consuming a nutritious diet.

Healthier diet choices

Those who choose to exercise regularly are more likely to support their exercise routine with other healthy life choices. For example, people who are trying to build muscle through weight training will probably support this goal with a diet that is high in protein. Those who are trying to lose weight through exercise are more likely to consume a low-fat or reduced-calorie diet.

As a result, it’s fair to assume that regular exercisers will consume less high-sugar food and drink beverages that have a detrimental effect on oral health. Fizzy drinks and sugary sweets can not only wear down enamel but can also impact fillings and dentin so keeping these at bay with a healthy diet can be extremely beneficial to your oral health.
Negative Impacts Of Exercise On Oral Health

Less saliva production

Saliva plays an important role in protecting our teeth, but when we work out or exercise we often experience a dry mouth due to the need to breathe out of our mouths. The production of saliva helps to fight bacteria and protect tooth enamel which can ultimately reduce the chance of tooth decay.

To combat this, high-level athletes have even taken to taping their mouths when exercising or sleeping to ensure they continue to breathe through their noses. Breathing through our nose allows our mouths to continue to function normally, producing enough saliva to protect our teeth.

Trauma from impact

Receiving a heavy blow to the mouth can damage teeth or worse, dislodge them completely. In sports such as boxing and rugby, this is common, especially if participants aren’t taking precautions such as wearing a mouthguard.

It goes without saying that this is a perfect example of how exercise can have adverse effects on oral health. Aside from impacting your looks, losing a tooth can lead to weaker jawbones and gum recession.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding, or bruxism to give it its scientific term, is a common cause of many dental issues. While it’s something people commonly do during sleep or through stressful times, it’s something that can also occur during sports or exercise.

Consider activities like Olympic-style weightlifting that require competitors to exert maximum amounts of energy which often results in the tensing of their whole body and the clenching of their mouths. In sports such as boxing, it’s even considered bad practice to not clench your teeth when taking a punch but this can lead to wearing down your teeth as a result.

Author Bio: Toby Patrick is a freelance writer currently studying Dentistry. He has undertaken an apprenticeship with Beyond Dental in Solihull and enjoys combining his learnings with a passion for creative writing.