05/25/2025
I just listened/read a podcast from Canadian ultrarunner and dentist Dr. Arden Young that would be of interest to the many athletes around. She discusses how to protect your teeth from the high carbohydrate needs while training/competing. This would also apply to sports like hockey where there is a lot of energy drink consumption.
Some points she mentions (for those who don't want to listen to the whole thing).
- night guard usage as there tends to be a lot of soreness and muscle pain which leads to night time clenching and grinding, also for weight training
- carry plain water to rinse and dilute the acids from sports drinks
- use of highly fluoridated toothpaste or hydroxyapatite toothpaste to help remineralize teeth
- she mentions a company called Maurten that has added sodium bicarbonate to their sports drinks to help make the pH more neutral (from a 3 to closer to 6 or7)
- not to use your teeth to hold objects (especially metal items like carabiners and ice axes)
There is a video version as well on youtube that can be reached from the podcast link below (I preferred to read the transcript).
Canadian ultrarunner and dentist Dr. Arden Young discusses how endurance athletes, including ultrarunners, can protect their oral health from acid wear while fueling their long runs with high-carb intake.
