There are many aches and pains associated with running, whether it is in the ankle, leg, knee, hip or calf muscle, there are plenty of places where you can experience pain when running. However, it is hard to imagine that it affected any areas above the waist.
But the truth is that there are plenty of other areas in your body that can be affected by running and one of those is, and you might not believe it.
in your teeth! If you have already experienced this, then you’ll know what we’re talking about.
But what is the cause of pain in your teeth when you are running? How can you soothe this pain? What are the best ways of taking care of your teeth so that this pain will not return?
If you want to know the answers to these questions and a lot more, then we would suggest that you keep reading.
Why Is Running Good For You?
Before we look into the connection between running and teeth, you might want to think about the reasons why you are running in the first place and whether or not you can substitute it for another activity.
One of the main reasons that you’ll want to go running is that it will improve your overall cardio. Doctors recommend that you keep your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes three times a week.
This is not only good for your circulation, but it is probably the best way of burning off excess fat. This will be a great way to keep in shape and make sure that you have a toned and fit body.
Now, if you are experiencing pain in your teeth when you are running, then this can be for many different reasons. Tooth pain will affect different people in different ways, so you’ll want to make sure that you have all the options before deciding.
Why Do Your Teeth Hurt When Running?
This might have something to do with the movement of your body. Running is a hard impact exercise, especially if you are running on tarmac. This hard impact will be felt right up your body, even in your teeth.
If you have sensitive teeth then you will be more likely to experience this type of pain than other people. Over the long term, you might start to find that this pain gets worse the more you run.
Another reason that you might be experiencing issues with your teeth while running is the fact that you are breathing harder with your mouth open. This could be exacerbated even further if you are running in the cold.
If you are inhaling cold air into your mouth when you are running, then this air will go through cavities in your mouth. Even if you just have sensitive teeth, this cold air will chill the enamel and exacerbate the raw nerve.
One other reason why your teeth might be feeling sensitive during a run is the fact that exercise increases the blood flow around the body, including that which goes to the nerve endings in your teeth.
This will cause swelling in any sensitive gums, causing there to be a lot more pressure on your teeth, which will make them seem a lot more painful than they actually are.
Running might also cause you to clench your mouth, which will also put physical pressure on your teeth and cause them to crack and hurt over time.
What Are The Effects Of Running With Painful Teeth?
This might actually put you off running. If you are going for a run but you know that your teeth will hurt, then this might put you off even lacing up your trainers.
It might also cause your teeth to be damaged in the long run, especially if you are clenching your jaw while running. It can lead to cracks and fissures in your teeth, especially if you combine the clenching with the pounding of your feet.
You might also experience more nerve pain in your teeth, which might spread to the rest of your jaw and even your cheek. This might take you a few hours to overcome and you might even have to take tablets for a headache.
How To Alleviate Tooth Pain While Running
If you are noticing that you are clenching your jaw while running on a hard surface like tarmac, then we would suggest that you switch to running on a softer surface, either grass, rubber or even sand.
If you are sensitive to running on cold days, then we would try to run during times when the climate is warmer. You also try running indoors where the temperature is generally warmer too.
If you are going to want to run outdoors, then try closing your mouth when you take an in-breath. This way, you’ll only be opening your mouth when exhaling, which will mostly be hot air from your body.
You could also try closing your mouth entirely when you are running, although this might not facilitate the healthy level of breathing that you need to keep running for longer than 30 minutes.
You should also get your teeth checked out if you are experiencing sensitivity. This is because you might have a cavity or some other issue that needs to be addressed. You’ll probably notice a difference if you have a cavity replaced.
How To Protect Your Teeth
If you are going running in the morning on a cold day, then we would recommend brushing your teeth before you go out. To keep the enamel on your teeth intact, then we would suggest brushing twice a day, 3 times if you have particularly sensitive teeth.
If you are eating hard foods often, then you might also be feeling some discomfort with your teeth as cracks appear and cause your nerves to be exposed.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you to address some of the issues that you might be suffering when you go running and you have sensitive teeth.
He has combined both of these skills to create his first company, Isopharm Limited, which became one of the top learning platforms within the dental industry.
With over 120,000 active users, he has been able to educate others in order to provide better dental care around the world.
With his expertise and work in the field, Andrew has been able to help many dental care professionals succeed in treating their patients.
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