Sports Drinks & Dental Health
Many sports people, regardless of their level of performance, regularly use sports drinks to aid their performance and/or recovery. However, what are these sugary drinks doing to their teeth?
The Dental Experts at www.cosmeticdentistry.co.uk have looked into this and have produced the following information for BlueSkies.
There are many beverages on the market that can cause tooth erosion and dentists now feel that sugary drinks are a major cause of tooth decay. Beverages are a major source of the sugar found in the Western diet, with sports drinks, soft drinks and juices all contributing a large amount. In fact, recent studies have shown that sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Lucozade Sport, can erode teeth faster than standard fizzy drinks such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi. The basic principle appears to be that the more sugar a drink contains, the high the risk of cavities to the drinker.
One study, from the University of Iowa in America, where extracted teeth were covered in a range of drinks including Diet Coke, regular Coke, Gatorade, 100% apple juice and Red Bull. On examining the teeth, the Gatorade Sports Drink turned out to be the most corrosive followed by Red Bull and Coke, with the Diet Coke and apple juice being the least corrosive.
Due to the acidity and sugar content of sports drinks, researchers have carried out in-depth studies on sports drinks. It turns out that, although sports drinks are corrosive in nature, cavity formation is not increased for athletes who consume the drinks during their training. The reason for this is that the drinks tend to reduce dehydration and increase the flow of saliva, which neutralises acidity.
When athletes drinking sports drinks have been monitored, no link has been found between the drinks and dental erosion. In fact, studies showed no difference between those that had been consuming sports drinks for 10 years or more and non-users. It appears that the problem of dental corrosion isn't so much about which beverage is consumed, but rather when and how it is drunk.
According to dental experts, the frequency of exposure to sugary drinks is the key to dental problems. for example, sipping on regular Pepsi all day long is likely to be very detrimental to teeth due to the constant acid exposure. However, if you drink Pepsi during meals, teeth are unlikely to be damaged because the saliva stimulated by chewing buffers the acid in the drink. Athletes should aim to consume their sports drinks as quickly as possible and preferably through a straw and they should avoid swishing and swilling the drink around their mouths.
For anyone concerned that sports drinks might be harmful to their teeth, water may be sufficient to keep hydrated during activity. However, sports drinks offer more benefits than just hydration so they do have their advantages. Why are sports drinks manufactured to be so acidic though? Well, the answer is that the acidity simply makes them more palatable and also ensures the long shelf-life of the product. By adding calcium to the drinks, acidity and subsequent risk to dental erosion can be reduced although this may adversely affect the taste.
For anyone who has damaged their teeth over the years, perhaps from consuming too many sugary drinks, there are still ways to restore the aesthetic appearance of your smile. It is worth consulting a Cosmetic Dentistry Guide for information on cosmetic procedures that are surprisingly accessible to the general public. For many people, a lovely smile can greatly enhance their self-confidence and self-esteem.