Sports And Energy Drink Consumption Damages Tooth Enamel, Study Suggests

Sports drinks and energy drinks aren't just a source of sugar for kids -- they could also be responsible for tooth enamel damage that increases the risk of cavities and decay, according to new research.

A study in the journal General Dentistry showed that tooth enamel is damaged after being exposed to sports drinks or energy drinks for just five days, with energy drinks causing two times as much enamel damage as the sports drinks.

"Teens regularly come into my office with these types of symptoms [of tooth decay, sensitivity and cavities], but they don't know why," Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Jennifer Bone, DDS, MAGD, said in a statement. "We review their diet and snacking habits and then we discuss their consumption of these beverages. They don't realize that something as seemingly harmless as a sports or energy drink can do a lot of damage to their teeth."

For the study, researchers from Southern Illinois University School of Dentistry looked at the levels of acidity in nine different energy drinks and 13 different sports drinks. They found that not all acidity levels were the same between brands, nor were they the same between flavors within the brands.

Then, the researchers soaked tooth enamel samples in each sports or energy drink. The samples were soaked for 15 minutes in each drink, and then were soaked for two hours in artificial saliva, for four times a day for five days.

The researchers found that enamel damage was evident after just five days.

Bone recommended that people who drink sports and energy drinks rinse out their mouths with water or chew a sugar-free piece of gum right after drinking the beverages. In addition, she said to wait at least an hour to brush your teeth after drinking the beverages, lest your toothbrush spreads the acid from the beverages all over your teeth.

Recently, a study showed just how damaging soda is to the teeth, too. LiveScience reported on a study also published in General Dentistry showing how the citric and phosphoric acids found in sodas are corrosive to teeth.

Also on HuffPost:

From our partners

• 400 Healthy Recipes (That Won't Break The Bank) - greatist.com
• 8 Great Running Apps To Help You Train For Your Next Race - Shape Magazine
• 6 Reasons To Sleep At Least 7 Hours - Everyday Health

Comments

[Roya Levi]

07:03 PM on 07/17/2012

I can't agree more! I usually recommend all my patients to minimize intake of sports and energy drinks and chew sugar-free gum or rinse their mouth with water following consumption of sport drinks or juices. Both tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal.
You can read more about acidic food and its effect on oral health at: http://www.royalevidds.com/blog/post/the-sour-truth-about-acidic-foods.html

[Gabe Brummett]

10:08 PM on 05/04/2012

i love how "recharge" is shown as comparable to any of those other drinks in your photo above - it's ingredients are ...filtered water, white grape, orange and lemon juice, sea salt, beta carotene.

[thebarbecuemast]

05:00 AM on 05/04/2012

when you see all the chmicals in does drinks i would no be surprised need energy drink some orsnge jucie or apple juice and eat some yogurt