female cyclists with dental problems?

[mollygidget]

Hi!

I'm new to the forum, because generally when I have cycling questions, I can turn to my team. However, this one is directed at other women cyclists. I'm a really serious cyclist, I race pretty much year round, train 15-25 hours a week, did an Ironman last summer, etc. I recently had to get a bunch of dental work done, and when my dentist was done, he asked if I was bulimic. He said that the erosion on my enamel was consistent with what he would see for someone with bulimia. I'm not bulimic, never have been, so I was obviously confused. Then I remembered a female teammate who, upon visiting her dentist, got asked the exact same thing. I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience, or whether it's just a weird coincidence that she and I were asked the same thing. I'm thinking if there are a few women cyclists out there who have heard the same thing, there might be something cycling-related (sports drinks from water bottles, saliva, something) that's causing it.

If any of you have had this issue or know a female (or male) cyclist who has, I would really appreciate your input!


Thanks!!

[Melalvai]

That is really interesting. I wonder if it is related to the calcium issue. Cycling is not weight-bearing exercise so elite cyclists are at risk for osteoporosis. I wouldn't have thought that would extend to the teeth, but I don't know too much about calcium partitioning.

[Eden]

I've head that sports drinks can be a problem. http://www.livestrong.com/article/26...ental-erosion/

[Thorn]

I've head that sports drinks can be a problem. http://www.livestrong.com/article/26...ental-erosion/

Yep...that's what I was going to say. Same thing about the enamel, but I was accused of a hard-candy habit. But

I switched from sports drink to shot-blocks and water so that I could reduce the amount of time I had sugar contact (I'm a constant sipper of fluids). Brushing after riding and on long rides, xylotol gum in the middle. It seems to have helped.

[jessmarimba]

Sports drinks, gels, gu, gummies, etc are awwwfuuulllll for your teeth. Especially if you're riding, the sugar just sticks (if I'm running and eating gummies, I spend miles just picking them out of my teeth...sorry for tmi)

I switched to nuun and try to eat real food if possible (I love little baked potato strips but they squish really easily if you fall on them...so gross). If I'm eating something really sugary on a ride I try to swig some water/nuun, swish it around, and spit it out after I eat.

[OakLeaf]

Hmmmm... anyone know whether sports drinks that are based on maltodextrin, with little to no simple sugar, are just as hard on your teeth??

You've got me worried now...