While they may sound refreshing after exercising, energy and sports drinks may do more harm than good. The high level of sugar and acid found in many of these drinks can cause damage to tooth enamel, thus elevating your risk for tooth decay.
Yes, there are health benefits to consuming orange juice, fruit juices, sports drinks, and flavoured waters, which can contain valuable ingredients such as vitamin C, minerals, and other antioxidants. These drinks can also replenish nutrients lost during a sporting event and lower the chance of heart disease and cancer. That stated, if not consumed carefully, these beverages can harm your teeth. Many of these drinks contain a lot of sugar and this sugar gets converted to acid by the bacteria in our mouth. This leads to tooth wear cavities, sensitivity and eventually tooth loss.
Even one drink a day is potentially harmful, but if you are absolutely unable to give up that sports- or energy-drink habit, we encourage you to minimise your consumption, use a drinking straw or rinse with water after drinking. As odd as it may sound coming from us, do not brush immediately after drinking sports and energy drinks; softened enamel due to acid is easier to damage, even when brushing. Remember, it takes your mouth approximately 30 minutes to bring its pH level back to normal. The best thing to do is to wait an hour, then brush to remove sugar that lingers on your teeth and gums.
There are many sports drinks, energy drinks, and flavored waters out there today, so take the time to read the labels. Check for sugar content and citric acid in the ingredients. If you have any questions, or would like suggestions on the best sports drink options, please give us a call or ask us during your next visit!
When you click submit, you will be taken to our live calendar to choose your preferred appointment time.
Learn how we make treatment affordable with a unique pricing structure and flexible payment options.
Get the answers to some of the most common questions that we are asked about orthodontic treatment.
See the stunning smile transformations in photos of actual patients we have treated.
