Oral health is an essential part of the human body that demands proper care because teeth is required in almost all human body activities. Standard oral hygiene rules highlight necessary procedures to ensure that oral health is in excellent condition at all times. However, many people who do not know these procedures still suffer from oral diseases due to specific habits in reaction to specific activities like when you clench your teeth during lifting.
An example of these habits is teeth clenching; this involves grinding and rubbing the enamels of two teeth against each other. This reaction is primarily displayed when exerting energy, like during exercise. It may surprise you to know that activity as healthy as exercise can negatively affect oral health.
Various forms of exercise help improve an individual’s health generally. However, if not done correctly, some forms of exercise have adverse health effects like issues with oral health. For all or most fitness enthusiasts, the question, “can clenching the teeth while lifting weights affect my teeth?” is a recurring one. The answer to this question is yes.
Dentists like Dr. Barona at the Altima North York Dental Centre have stressed how most weight lifters suffer from cavities. This is a result of clenching the teeth when lifting weights. However, weight lifting can be done without doing this.
To understand better why teeth clenching while weight lifting is wrong for oral health, this article details why weight lifters clench their teeth, its effect on oral health, and how to stop this habit during weight lifting. Read on for more interesting information.
Reasons Weight Lifters Clench Their Teeth While Lifting Weight
The habit while weight lifting is popular among most weight lifters because of specific factors. These factors are:
- For a solid stance or form: It is a norm for a more effective weight lift; the individuals have to have a solid form or position. A vital way of getting a firm and solid posture is by maintaining a closed and firm jaw. This act gives stability to the muscles from the head to the neck and the spine, but there is a tendency to overdo it. The requirement is a closed jaw and not clenched teeth.
- Strength: The act of weight lifting trains the muscles and helps develop an individual’s core, but most weight lifters who do this believe this act boosts their strength, enabling them to carry more weight.
Effects Of Teeth Clenching On Oral Health
No matter how healthy an individual’s oral health might have been, the act of teeth clenching will affect the teeth. This action is characterized by constantly grinding the teeth’ enamel together, resulting in teeth wearing and losing strength. Specific oral issues then follow the loss in the strength and the are:
- Cavities: This is a dental issue characterized by holes in the teeth. The habit weakens the teeth. Thus the teeth are liable to cracks and breaks. The cracks and breaks serve as a habitat for bacteria causing further harm to the teeth like tooth decay. Moreover, weight lifters consume high sugar content. Hence, when cracks happen from clenching the teeth, sugar intake boosts the formation of cavities.
- Dysfunctional jaw: Teeth Clenching causes the teeth to lose form. Deformed teeth affect the jaw because the individual struggles when using their teeth.
Tips To Stop Teeth Clenching
The habit of teeth clenching while weight lifting can be stopped using the following tips:
- Weight checking: The primary purpose of weight lifting is to train the muscles and core strength, but this is often misinterpreted by many, prompting them to lift heavyweights enormously and clench their teeth as a result. As a remedy, weight lifters should learn to start with little weights and increase it little by little as they progress.
- Mouthguard: Some weight lifters clench their teeth unconsciously. Using mouth guards can gain the strength and form needed to lift weights according to this invisalign dentist in west point. The mouth guard protects the teeth’ surface and the jaw. Hence, weight lifters maintain excellent oral health.
- A Guide: This involves having an experienced weight lifter to guide you. Thus, checking your posture and correcting you when lifting weights wrongly.
- Balanced nutrition: This involves disturbing habits. Physical training requires enough intake of sugar, but not excess. Hence, weightlifters should abstain from taking excess sugar and, if possible, have a dentist review their nutrition.
Conclusion
Teeth clenching while weight lifting weakens the teeth, resulting in oral problems. Luckily, this article has detailed how the habit of teeth clenching affects oral health and tips for stopping teeth clenching during weight lifting.
