If you’re chasing a marathon PB or grinding by a long term, odds are you’re desirous about splits, your sore calves or possibly how good your post-run meal will style. However in accordance with Arden Younger, a high Canadian ultrarunner and dentist primarily based in Vancouver (who just lately took second on the Crown King Scramble 50K) runners must be paying far more consideration to what’s taking place of their mouths—and he or she has a number of suggestions for maintaining these pearly whites in race-ready form.
“The quantity and frequency of carbohydrate that an endurance athlete ingests throughout competitors and coaching can wreak havoc in your mouth,” she explains, “rising threat of enamel erosion, dental cavities, and inflammatory periodontal illness.” All these mid-run carbs may gasoline your physique—however they’re additionally feeding the unsuitable crowd in your mouth.
Carbs, sports activities drinks and tooth hassle
To maintain going robust, endurance athletes usually depend on a gradual stream of gels, drinks and power chews. However this sugar rush creates the proper storm for cavity-causing micro organism. As Younger explains, these micro organism metabolize the sugars and produce acid, which dissolves enamel and raises the danger of cavities and gum illness. On high of that, most sports activities drinks are already acidic, with a pH round 3, compounding the harm with each sip.
“Saliva will neutralize that pH, but it surely takes time, and each time you’re taking a swig of that sports activities drink, the method begins once more,” Younger says. “This fixed cycle of acid and sugar publicity can take a severe toll in your dental well being.”
So, how will you shield your smile whereas nonetheless fueling your physique for these lengthy runs? Younger shares a number of easy suggestions:
Brush and floss recurrently
It sounds primary, but it surely issues—particularly for runners recurrently fuelling with sugar. Brushing twice a day and flossing as soon as helps clear away the micro organism and meals particles that trigger decay and gum illness. If you happen to use a Waterpik (or comparable model) flosser, that’s an amazing bonus for flushing out carb-heavy residue across the gums—but it surely doesn’t exchange flossing totally. And hey, if the good ultra-champion Courtney Dauwalter can pause for a fast brush mid-race, you possibly can too.
Use fluoride
For runners taking in numerous gels and sugary drinks, a high-fluoride toothpaste could make a giant distinction. Younger recommends utilizing one with 5000ppm fluoride to assist remineralize and strengthen enamel. These are often offered as prescription merchandise within the U.S., however in Canada you possibly can usually discover them over-the-counter underneath model names like Colgate PreviDent 5000 or Clinpro 5000. Verify your native pharmacy (behind the counter), or ask your dentist. They are often dear, so hold a watch out for gross sales or ask your dentist if they will provide it straight.
Rinse with water
After taking a gel, sports activities drink or chew, swish with plain water to assist neutralize the acids and sugars in your mouth. It’s a easy step, however one of the vital efficient. “Saliva will neutralize that pH,” says Younger, “but it surely takes time, and each time you’re taking a swig of that sports activities drink, the method begins once more.” A fast rinse helps velocity up that neutralizing course of between fueling intervals.