Why Do My Teeth Hurt When I Work Out?

Exercise is great for your overall wellness but you may be surprised to find that when working heavily during a run or intense workout, your teeth can cause a lot of discomfort. This can be a concern, interrupting your training sessions. There are a few factors which the medical profession look at to see why exercising can cause dental pain.

What Are the Common Reasons Your Teeth Hurt When Exercising?

During exercise your body has to put in a lot of effort. Below are some reasons why your teeth may hurt during intense exercise.

How Do Changes in Barometric Pressure and Sinus Build Up Cause Tooth Pain?

If exercising outside, you can expect to experience changes in the weather, wind and temperature. Intense cardio can cause your nasal passages and sinuses to become inflamed. Your maxillary sinuses are located just above the molar teeth. These can fill with fluid and/or change in pressure, due to heavy breathing, to cause pressure on the nerves in your teeth. This referred pain can cause you to feel like you have a severe toothache, however your teeth are in fact perfectly fine.

Can Teeth Grinding or Clenching Cause Pain During Exercise?

If you are pushing yourself during a tough session you will often find that you are biting down hard or grinding your teeth. This puts huge pressure on your periodontal ligaments. These are located between your teeth and jaw bone to provide cushioning. If too much pressure is applied then this can cause inflammation causing a dull ache in multiple teeth. If you consciously relax your jaw you can avoid this.

How Does Cold Air Cause Tooth Pain During Exercise?

During cold weather, you will be breathing cold air into your mouth. This can cause your enamel to rapidly cool. Your teeth will undergo slight expansion and contraction due to the extreme temperature change. This can irritate the tiny tubes in your dentine layer. The nerve center of your teeth will become sensitive causing shooting pains. To reduce the amount of cold air entering your mouth wear a face covering or breathe through your nose.

Can Dehydration Make Your Teeth Hurt During Exercise?

During intense endurance training your body will lose lots of fluids. If you’re not hydrated enough then your saliva levels will drop dramatically. Saliva helps to protect your enamel by reducing acid and cleaning bacteria away. If your mouth is dry then this will increase sensitivity in your teeth. To keep your saliva levels up make sure you are well hydrated.

Why Do Your Teeth Hurt During Physical Exertion?

There are complex reasons why your teeth may hurt during physical exertion. Your trigeminal nerve provides feeling to your whole face, jaw and teeth. If your sinuses become inflamed or your facial muscles tense up, your nerves will send signals to the brain via this nerve. Your brain will struggle to determine where the pain is coming from, therefore you will feel like you have a severe toothache, when it’s actually your sinuses causing pressure.

If you have un-diagnosed cavities, small cracks or mild pulpitis in your teeth then these will not cause any problems when you aren’t active. However, when you start running your blood pressure will increase and your heart will pump more. This will increase blood flow to your inflamed dental pulps. This increased pressure will cause throbbing. See a qualified dentist to ensure there isn’t any damage to your teeth.

How Can You Prevent Tooth Pain During Exercise?

As an athlete, there are a few things you can do to prevent this pain.

• Relax your jaw during intense periods.

• If you can’t help but clench your jaw, wear a bespoke sports mouth guard.

• Breathe through your nose during cold weather.

• Stay hydrated.

• Visit your dentist regularly to check for micro cracks/hidden decay.

• If you suffer from chronic sinus issues visit a medical specialist.

When Should You Visit a Dentist for Exercise-Related Tooth Pain?

If your teeth are sensitive to the cold air then this should subside quickly once you are back inside. However if you are still experiencing throbbing then you should visit a dentist. If you are still experiencing sharp pains after your run then this indicates there is something wrong. A dentist will carry out targeted assessments using advanced technology. This will stop any small issues becoming serious.