Exercise-Related Changes in Salivary Secretion and Protective Properties Implications for Dental Caries and Erosive Tooth Wear in Athletes- A narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.79.76809Keywords
sports dentistry, saliva, exercise, dehydration, dental caries, erosive tooth wearAbstract
Background: Saliva protects dental tissues, but its response to exercise is variable.
Aim: To examine exercise-related salivary changes and their relevance to dental caries and erosive tooth wear in athletes.
Materials and methods: Targeted, non-systematic searches of PubMed-indexed records and publisher websites were supplemented by reference checking. Human studies, reviews and guidance were critically synthesised, distinguishing salivary markers from clinical outcomes.
Results: Prolonged exercise with inadequate fluid replacement can reduce salivary flow. Responses depend on hydration, workload, collection method and beverage exposure. Salivary pH sometimes increases despite reduced flow. Protein concentration and secretion rate may change in opposite directions. Athlete surveys identify substantial dental disease, but do not establish salivary changes as its cause.
Conclusions: Saliva is a plausible modifying factor within a multifactorial pathway involving hydration, diet and sport-specific exposures. Prevention should integrate dental risk assessment with appropriate sports nutrition. Longitudinal studies linking repeated salivary measurements to incident lesions are needed.
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