You probably know your optimum Heart Rate and BMI, but what about your risk of dental disease?
Regular training, mouth breathing and dehydration are all factors that dry your mouth and subsequently encourages the bacterial infection that causes cavities.
Many sports and energy drinks can be highly acidic!
Tooth decay and cavities are caused by a bacterial infection known as caries.
An acidic oral environment drives this infection.
Brushing and flossing alone does not stop this infection.
The good news is that this infection is treatable and preventable.
Being active is a great way to stay fit and healthy, however this doesn't directly correlate to the state of your oral health. Regular training causes dehydration. Hydration with high acid sports and energy drinks compound your risk of tooth decay by lowering your oral pH and creating an environment that encourages the growth of acid bacteria. Research shows that these drinks can be as much as 8 times more damaging to your teeth than that of regular soft drinks, so it's important to consider strategies that neutralizers the pH of your mouth.
Cavities
Cavities are the demineralized areas, or the holes, that form in teeth and are the result of a bacterial infection known as caries. This infection takes place when the normal healthy bacteria are replaced by acid-producing bacteria. This shift in bacteria is primarily caused by two things:
Prolonged acidic (low pH) oral environment: contributing factors include a lack of saliva, and or a sugary acidic diet that encourages acid-producing bacteria.
Transmission: this infection is contagious! You can be infected by someone through exchange of saliva.
Drilling and filling has been the traditional method of treating cavities, but it doesn't treat the underlying cause, the bacterial infection. Brushing and flossing has been the traditional method of prevention, but it does not change the pH (acidity) of the oral environment or treat the infection once it exists.
Expert Advice
Visit a dentist who provides "caries risk assessment and bacterial screening", where they evaluate risk factors that can contribute to you getting cavities and offers treatment beyond "drilling and filling".
Limit your intake of sugar/carbohydrates within your diet, but also consider non-sugar containing acidic beverages such as diet and sports drinks, juices, coffee, tea, sparkling water, alcohol, etc.
Consider the acidity, the pH, of the drinks you use to rehydrate yourself.
Frequency of snacking to maintain your energy levels can also increase your risk of tooth decay, so consider the use of neutralizing products such as the Carifree Boost Spray and CariFree Xylitol Gum.
Consider the acidity, the pH, of the dental products you are using.
Do they neutralize your mouth or drive your pH down?
Not all products are the same!
Don't just brush and floss......neutralize your childs mouth!
Understand that fluoride can be important, but is used to primarily remineralize the enamel and make it stronger. Fluoride can help treat the symptoms, but fluoride's effectiveness at stopping the bacterial infection has limits.
Xylitol is a very effective agent for limiting the acids produced by bacteria and is available in a variety of chewing gums, mints, oral rinses and toothpastes. Xylitol has been shown to make fluoride more effective.
