Exercise is an essential part in staying fit and healthy. However, a recent study has found that vigorous exercise may be harmful to the teeth. Based on this study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, rigorous training may contribute to dental problems.
A study published in 2013 in The British Journal of Sports Medicine hinted that athletes have a higher risk of developing cavities and experiencing other oral problems, discovering that majority of 278 athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London had "poor oral health". Athletes had high levels of tooth decay, along with gum disease and tooth enamel erosion. However this study did not investigate on the reasons behind this. Although it is easy to assume that sugar-laden sports bars and drinks may be a primary cause, other studies have not found much link between cavities and sports drinks.
Such gap of knowledge has led researchers with the dental school at University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany and other institutions to recruit 35 competitive triathletes, as well as healthy 35 non-athletes that matched them age and gender-wise.
The 70 participants were assessed in terms of over-all oral health, diets (consumption of sports drinks included), their normal hygiene routine, and exercise habits. Comparing all the information, the researchers found that athletes displayed greater tooth enamel erosion compared to the non-athletes. Athletes also had more cavities. Furthermore, it was discovered that the more hours an athlete spent doing physical l and strenuous activities, the more likely she or he would develop cavities.
Meanwhile, there was no correlation found between sports drinks consumption or any factors in the diet, and oral health.
According to Dr. Cornelia Frese, senior dentist at the University Hospital Heidelberg and lead author of the study, prolonged endurance training could be a risk factor for oral health problems. Still, Dr. Frese acknowledges the fact that their study is small in terms of scale, short-term, and may not be sufficient enough to be representative of the oral risks that could be brought about by rigorous exercise.