ADA presents ‘The Seven Sporting Sins’

Sin 7: Slothful Avoidance

Don’t let busy training schedules make you guilty of slothful avoidance of the dentist. The consequences of poor oral hygiene can catch up with you in the near future, so make sure you visit your dentist regularly and let them know if you play sport or work out. Your dentist will make sure that your habits on the sporting field are not hindering your oral health.

Having a family dentist will mean you will know who to call should you or a family member suffer from a dental injury. Remember time is everything when dealing with dental trauma, know your dental first aid.

Five tips for good oral health are:

• Brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste.
• Floss daily.
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet.
• Drink plenty of tap water.
• Have regular check-ups with your dentist.

Extract from ADA's original article: "Sin 7: Slothful Avoidance"

ADA presents ‘The Seven Sporting Sins’

Sin 6: Performance Envy

Dehydration can be a common issue if you go to the gym, play a team sport, run, or do anything else that is active. Not only does dehydration stop you from performing at your peak it will reduce your salivary flow which means your teeth are less protected from acid attacks. Make sure you don’t suffer from performance envy, perform your best by staying well hydrated before, during and after sport. The ADA recommends tap water which contains fluoride that helps protect your teeth in the long term.

Tap water has the added benefit of being good for your teeth, unlike sports drinks that bathe your teeth in harmful sugar or acids. Water is free from a tap and cheaper than sports drinks from a bottle.

Tips to know if you’re dehydrated:

• Is my mouth dry?
• Do I have an acidic taste in my mouth?
• Have I been sweating a lot?

Extract from ADA's original article: "Sin 6: Performance Envy"

ADA presents ‘The Seven Sporting Sins’

Sin 5: Sports Gluttony

Gluttony is another word you don’t normally associate with the super-fit and sporty! But certain habits such as snacking and grazing put our teeth at risk! Tooth decay is caused by how frequently we snack and how long you are exposed to food at any one time. Every time you eat, your teeth are exposed to the sugars in food, this is called an ‘acid attack’. The bacteria in your mouth (plaque) use these sugars to make acid and if teeth are exposed to this acid long enough holes develop -this is known as tooth decay.

It is important to beware of hidden sugars in so called ‘Health Foods’! These include culprits like muesli bars and sports bars where seemingly healthy ingredients are bound together with sugar! Frequency of snacking and sipping on foods and drinks that contain sugar like dried fruit, sports gels and energy bars will increase your risk of developing tooth decay.

Protect your teeth by:

• Snacking on foods that have high nutritional value will help with performance and recovery before and after sport.
• Snacking on foods that are light and low in sugar between meals.
• Eating fresh produce. Packaged foods are generally higher in sugar than their fresh alternatives.
• Reading the label – if sugar is listed in the top three ingredients it’s usually not a good sign.
• Searching online is a great way to find healthy snack ideas

Extract from ADA's original article: "Sin 5: Sports Gluttony"

ADA presents ‘The Seven Sporting Sins’

Sin 4: Supplementing Vanity

Vanity can drive some people to use sport supplements like pre- and intra-work out drinks with little or no question of what is really in them, if they are deemed to achieve a lean and muscular physique.

The current wave of pre-workout and intra-workout drinks on the market make all types of claims but many of these products have not both been rigorously tested! Intra-workout supplements are often overlooked as a potential cause of tooth erosion, however the addition of acidic ingredients as well as the fact that people sip frequently on these over a training session makes them a potentially concerning product for your teeth. If you really are conscious of your health you need to be aware that these products contain acidic preservatives which will cause irreversible damage to your teeth if used frequently.

Don’t panic, not all gym supplements are bad for your teeth. The real danger is how frequently some of them are consumed, especially if they contain sugar or acids.

Your number one tip when buying sport supplements:

• Products that contain ingredients like citric acid (food numbers 330 or 331) or ascorbic acid (food number 300) are acidic! Preservatives that end in the letters ‘ate’ like sorbate can also be assumed to be acidic!

Extract from ADA's original article: "Sin 4: Supplementing Vanity"

ADA presents ‘The Seven Sporting Sins’

Sin 3: The Wrath of Trauma

Each year, thousands of adults and children are treated for dental injuries that could have been prevented or minimised by simply wearing a mouthguard, so the best way to avoid the wrath of trauma is to wear your mouthguard during training and the game. Your dentist can make you a custom mouthguard which will fit like a glove and reduce the risk and severity of dental injuries. Remember it’s easier, cheaper and far less painful to wear a mouthguard than it is to replace a lost tooth. Anyone who plays a sport or undertakes an activity where collision or contact to the face is a legitimate risk should wear a mouthguard.

A custom-fitted mouthguard that has been designed by your dentist makes breathing and speaking a lot easier when wearing your mouthguard, and overall are a lot more comfortable than their ‘boil and bite’ counterparts. These are the mouthguards that you can purchase from a chemist or sports store that offer less protection as they are ill-fitted and loose in the mouth, which can be dangerous during impact.

Accidents can happen to anybody at any age and when we least expect it. But knowing what do when a dental injury occurs is critical.

Tips to remember if an adult tooth is knocked out:

• Don’t hold the tooth by the root.
• Don’t scrub or rub the root surface.
• Don’t let the tooth dry out.
• Don’t store the tooth in water.
• Don’t delay seeking dental treatment.

Extract from ADA's original article: "The Wrath of Trauma"