Running and your Oral Health

Running is a popular way to stay in shape, especially when you can join running clubs or groups so you can add a more social side to your exercise. Of course, there’s also marathons and sponsored runs that you can take part in to add a more competitive element to it.

However, have you considered your dental health when planning your training? It’s not a surprise if you think that these subjects are unrelated, read on to find out why they’re not.

The Risks

While your body may be in excellent shape, this could come at the cost of your oral health. Studies have shown that there are two specific areas where oral health problems are likely to occur for athletes: having a dry mouth and the effects of sport-related nutrition.

Dry Mouth

If you’re keen on your sports and exercise, think about how your mouth feels during such activities. It’s likely that you’ll be breathing through your mouth, and because of this your mouth will dry up. In addition to this, you’re unlikely to be able to recover from a dry mouth as quickly as you would normally, due to a higher susceptibility to dehydration.

A dry mouth is a bigger problem than you might think. The risk of having gum disease increases, as well as tooth decay. Saliva is a great way of protecting your mouth, as it limits bacteria growth and helps clean any food debris and plaque in your mouth. Other problems relating to tasting and digesting foods also arise.

Nutrition

Properly planning your nutrition and hydration for your sports and exercise it a good way to make sure you get the energy you need without putting your oral health at risk. As most people who are into their fitness know, carbohydrates are your main source of energy. However, over-consumption of ‘bad’ carbohydrates can be detrimental to your oral health.

Sports drinks are quite popular however they too can be bad for your teeth. Although they can be helpful when recovering from long and strenuous activities, they are also acidic. This is a problem for the enamel on your teeth, as it can dissolve when exposed to too much acid. These drinks are also very sugary, which can cause tooth decay and other problems.

DON’T stop running

We’re not trying to scare you into not running. It’s likely that if you stop exercising you’ll run into other health problems, but there are ways you can enjoy your running and maintain a healthy smile. 

As long as you drink plenty of water before, during and after your exercise you can help mitigate a lot of the problems that can occur. It’s also important that you drink water before you get dehydrated instead of after. Of course, regular brushing and visits to your dentist can also help reduce a number of the problems that might occur.  

Long Term Problems

Sometimes these things don’t seem like an issue until you’re faced with cavities and gum disease yourself. If left untreated, these problems can develop into serious complications, including loss of teeth. Midlands Smile Centres does offer a number oftreatments to help rejuvenate your smile, including dental implants, bridges, crowns and dentures (including denture implants).

If you have any problems or questions regarding your oral health, you should arrange a check-up to see your local Midlands Smile Centres dentist so they can talk you through your queries. 

4 Helpful Tips to Reduce Tooth Sensitivity

Sensitive teeth can be very painful at times. It can take you completely off-guard when you’re enjoying your morning coffee, or indulging in some ice cream after dinner. Some of your favourite food and drinks can turn into unpleasant reminders that you have sensitive teeth. Unfortunately, the more sensitive your teeth get, the more things you’ll find that can cause pain.

Hope isn’t lost on you enjoying another ice cream though, as sensitive teeth are actually a fairly common problem. Not only is it common, but there are a number of things you can do to help reduce the sensitivity of your teeth. Find below four great tips for reducing sensitivity.

1. Make sure you’re not brushing too hard

Your routine care of your teeth is very important. If you’re suffering from sensitive teeth though, it is possible that you might be overzealous in your daily care. Brushing that is too firm or for too long can cause your gums to recede. This means that sensitive areas of your teeth are exposed.

Make sure you brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and use gentle circular motions. Also try and brush for 2 minutes. This is a good time to follow, as it makes sure you are brushing for long enough to help your oral hygiene, but not for so long that you cause problems.

2. Reduce the amount of acidic food and drink in your diet

Acidic foods and drinks are major causes in sensitive teeth. The acid in them can erode your tooth enamel, which leaves your teeth more sensitive. You should try and reduce the amount of things like soft drinks, sports or energy drinks, fruit juices and sour sweets in your diet.

3. Use a different type of toothpaste

There are many different types of toothpaste that you can buy, including whitening toothpaste. If you do use this type of toothpaste and suffer from sensitive teeth, it’s worth looking at any documentation that came with it. Some types of whitening toothpaste are known to be more abrasive than regular toothpaste, which could cause extra sensitivity.

4. Visit your local dentist

Sensitive teeth can be a sign of other problems, such as a cavity or that you are grinding your teeth at night, also sensitive teeth due to receding gums can be a sign of gum disease. Because of this, if you continue to suffer from sensitive teeth you should visit your dentist, so we can ascertain whether or not it is a serious problem.

Combating problems such as cavities or gum disease as early as possible is important, so you don’t suffer from any other problems. You don’t want to miss the early warning signs of sensitive teeth, and end up having to spend a lot more on treatments such as dental implants.

If you’re worried about your sensitive teeth, or have any other problems or concerns then you should contact your local Midlands Smile Centres and book a check-up. 

Invisalign vs Six Month Smiles

It’s important to choose the right orthodontic treatment for you, as different treatments have different benefits. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing what teeth straightening treatment to have. In this blog, we’ll cover two of our most popular orthodontic treatments: Invisalign and Six Month Smiles, what they consist of and also their own individual benefits.

What are they?

Invisalign is a modern alternative to traditional braces. They are often called ‘invisible braces’, this is due to the fact that the aligners are made of a clear material. Treatment involves several stages, using a series of slightly different aligners, with each aligner moving your teeth to give you your desired smile. Before treatment begins, a plan is made using the Invisalign 3D modelling system, allowing you to view each stage and how it will affect your teeth.

Six Month Smiles is a Cosmetic Braces System, involving a treatment length of on average between 4 to 9 months. This quick treatment length combined with the braces being tooth-coloured and hence discrete, makes it a popular treatment option for those who dislike how traditional braces look, and how long treatment can take.

Advantages of Invisalign

It goes without saying that the main advantage of Invisalign is having nearly invisible braces, whilst still being as effective as traditional braces. This means you can have orthodontic treatment without worrying about how your braces look. These clear aligners are also custom made for your teeth using moulds, allowing them to be both discrete and comfortable.

That’s not all, they are also removable! This makes eating and cleaning significantly easier than with other types of orthodontic treatment. Simply take off your braces before you eat, and put them back on after you’ve brushed your teeth. The same goes for when you clean your braces, just take them off and give both them and your teeth a thorough clean before putting them back on.

Advantages of Six Month Smiles

Six Month Smiles is the right treatment for those who’re looking to have straight teeth as quickly as possible. As stated before, the average time for this treatment is between 4 to 9 months, easily making it the fastest tooth straightening treatment available.

The braces are also tooth coloured, allowing them to blend in naturally with your teeth. Six Month Smiles uses a similar mould technology to Invisalign, so your braces are specifically made for your teeth. This means they are more discrete and comfortable.  

What's right for you

Now you know the advantages of both treatments, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision of what treatment is right for you. Put off by how long tradition braces take to correct your teeth? Six Month Smiles is likely to be the right treatment for you. Worried about how normal braces will look? With Invisalign no one will be able to tell if you’re wearing braces.

If you’re interested in having tooth straightening treatment, your dentist can talk you through your different options and what would be right for you. Contact your local Midlands Smile Centres and arrange a free consultation with your dentist for orthodontic braces, or use our online orthodontic form to find out more.