Is Dry Scooping Bad for Your Teeth?

A dangerous new trend has emerged among TikTok users called “dry scooping.” Gym-goers are taking pre-workout powders without water on the unfounded notion that dry scooping helps your body absorb compounds faster for a better workout. Is dry scooping bad for your teeth? Keep reading to learn why it is dangerous in general, how it can affect your teeth, plus ways to protect your tooth enamel.

Why Is Dry Scooping Dangerous?

Doctors warn that ingesting protein powders on their own can lead to heart and lung seizures. A pediatrician at Princeton University who led a study on the dry scooping craze said it was a “particularly risky method of consumption.” A TikTok influencer tried dry scooping before a gym session only to later suffer pain in her head, chest, back, and left arm. She ended up going to the hospital and was diagnosed with an NSTEMI (Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction) heart attack. This type of heart attack happens when a part of your heart isn’t getting enough oxygen; it doesn’t cause a specific and recognizable change to your heart’s electrical activity.

The CEO of the nutritional supplement company Innermost said that the main risk with dry scooping is breathing in the powder or the powder clumping together in your throat and increasing the risk of choking and suffocation. “Some of the cheaper pre-workouts on the market contain high levels of caffeine,” he said. “Dry scooping these can put your body through stress, increased heart rate, dehydration, and more.”

How Can Dry Scooping Affect My Teeth?

Pre-workout powders generally contain a lot of undiluted citric acid for flavoring, which can lead to enamel damage. Especially with dry scooping, the citric acid in the powder remains on your teeth for an extended time. “I don’t care how good the workout is; I don’t want to lose my teeth chasing the perfect pump,” said a nutritionist discussing dry scooping. Enamel, of course, does not grow back once it is lost.

How Can I Protect My Tooth Enamel?

The obvious answer, as it relates to this blog post, is to avoid dry scooping. In fact, many pre-workout powders are bad for your teeth even when mixed with water, but this option is the lesser of the two evils. Here are good tips to protect your tooth enamel in general:

• Eat acidic foods with meals. If you must eat something acidic (lemons, grapefruit, pineapple, etc.), eat it with a meal to reduce its contact with your teeth and allow other foods to help neutralize it.
• Wash down acidic foods and drinks with water. Sip water along with an acidic food or drink and then use it to wash your mouth out afterward.
• Use a straw. If you drink acidic beverages (carbonated beverages, apple juice, etc.), you can reduce tooth contact by using a straw and finishing the drink quickly.
• Try low or no-sugar drinks. Read nutrition labels to cut down on your sugar consumption. Lean toward drinking unflavored water, tea, or coconut water when possible.
• Wait before brushing. Acid softens your tooth enamel, so wait at least half an hour before brushing. In the meantime, you can rinse your mouth with tap water.

So, is dry scooping bad for your teeth? Indeed, it’s a terrible decision for your dental outlook and quite risky for your general health. If you must use pre-workout powders, definitely mix them with water. And follow these tips to do the best possible job of protecting your enamel. It’s not a renewable resource, after all!

About the Practice

At Blue Coast Dental, we’re dedicated to providing our patients with comprehensive, personalized treatment in one convenient location. Our doctors include a prosthodontist, a periodontist, an oral surgeon, and a general dentist, so there’s nothing they can’t handle when it comes to supporting your oral health. We really hope you will avoid using pre-workout powders, especially when it comes to dry scooping. In addition to steering clear of products detrimental to your tooth enamel, being diligent about visiting your dentist in Torrance will work wonders for your smile. You can schedule an appointment on our website or by calling (310) 424-3100.