How Exercise Could Harm Your Child’s Oral Health — And How to Protect Their Smile

Exercise is, without question, one of the best things for the human body. It plays a huge role in overall wellness! If you are raising your child to love physical activity, you are to be commended for your efforts. However, just like with anything good, exercise does come with a few potential downsides. For example, it might result in harm to your child’s oral health. How could that happen, and what can you do to protect your child’s smile? This blog post explains.

Injuries

If your child plays sports, there is a chance that an accident could cause one of their teeth to chip, break, or even get knocked out of their mouth. Since you would like to avoid a visit to their emergency dentist, it would be wise to invest in a custom mouthguard for your child. Custom mouthguards are more effective than over-the-counter options. They are also more comfortable, so your child is more likely to use them.

Cavities and Enamel Erosion

Sports drinks are marketed as providing excellent hydration for athletes. While it is true that electrolytes are important for active kids, sports drinks are dangerous for oral health. They often contain large amounts of sugar and acid, which could contribute to cavities and enamel erosion.

Encourage your child to drink water to stay hydrated. Snacks like salted nuts and bananas can help to provide electrolytes. You could also try low-sugar alternatives to sports drinks, such as coconut water.

Mouth Breathing

During intense exercise, it is normal for kids to breathe through their mouths a lot. Unfortunately, this dries out their saliva, which means that harmful bacteria have a greater opportunity to multiply and thrive within the oral cavity.

Again, encourage your child to drink plenty of water to encourage saliva production. You can also encourage them to focus on nasal breathing when possible. And if they have an ongoing tendency to breathe through their mouth, even outside of exercise, they might need medical attention to address underlying breathing problems.

Your child does not have to stop exercising to enjoy great oral health! In fact, studies indicate that exercise may actually reduce the risk of gum disease. However, the fact remains that you should make efforts to teach your young athlete how to care for their teeth while they are enjoying their favorite physical activities.

Meet the Practice

At Kids Dentist in Grayslake, our team features four highly talented pediatric dentists: Drs. Sonia Guiterrez, Dave Rutcosky, Sahar Alrayyes, and Anne-Ashley Compton. We all work together to provide top-quality care for kids in our community. If you would like advice on how you can promote your child’s oral health, we would be pleased to speak with you. Contact our office at 847-223-1400.