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Den's Dental Blog

Hello! My name is Den. This blog is going to cover a range of dental topics. I am not a dentist or a dental nurse but I have recently undergone a lot of dental treatment. This treatment has given me a great insight into the world of dentistry and I would like to share everything I have learnt with you here. Last year, I developed terrible pain in my mouth. I was diagnosed with severe tooth decay. The dentist removed the problem teeth and then inserted false ones in their place. He also whitened my teeth to improve my smile. I hope you find my blog useful.

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Love Your Sports? Two Hydration Habits That Could Be Leaving Your Teeth Exposed

by Myrtle Banks

Australians are an active bunch who love their sports, and in a 2012 survey, over 65% of Australians aged 15 years or more indicated they had participated in a sport or physical exercise at least once in the previous 12 months. With summer days rapidly approaching, sports gear of all types are being dusted off in readiness. However, while you are out enjoying your sports, there are two simple hydration habits that are doing permanent damage to your teeth. Be aware of your dental habits this summer if you wish to avoid extra visits to see your dentist.

Too Much Hydration Using Sports Drinks

How many sports drinks do you stock up on so you're fully prepared for when you start to get physical? Sports drinks are heavily marketed as being the thing you need to replace lost electrolytes when you've been working up a sweat, but the problem is those sports drinks are not great for your teeth.

There are two things that are an enemy of your teeth, and these are acids and sugar. Both of these items can damage the enamel on your teeth, and both of these items are found in popular sports drinks.

If you can't give up your sports drinks completely, there are two ways you can reduce the amount of damage they do to your teeth:

  1. Drink the sports drink using a straw. This directs the liquid over the teeth and directly into the back of the throat.
  2. Drink a cold sports drink rather than a room temperature one. The strength of the acid in sports drinks is dependent on temperature, and a cold drink is less corrosive than a warm one.

The other hydration issue that affects your teeth is when you don't drink enough.

Too Little Hydration

You know the feeling after a great sports game when your mouth is dry, and you have an acidic taste in your mouth? Both of these are signs of dehydration, and they are telling you that your body is being starved of the fluids it needs.

Now, one of the issues when you let your body become hydrated is your mouth no longer has enough saliva in it. The saliva that constantly moves over your teeth flushes away harmful bacteria that can lead to tooth erosion.

The best way to care for your teeth when you are taking part in summer sports is to drink plenty of fluoridated water, as this will help keep your teeth strong and healthy. Make sure you also keep up with your annual visits to a dentist, like those at Thomas Aulsebrook & Associates, so that any erosion issues can be taken care of before they do long-term damage.

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