Sports Drinks Can Cause Irreversible Damage

Although sports drinks and energy drinks are nice to consume every once in a while, Artistic Touch Dentistry wants you to be aware of the consequences.

If it’s late at night and you need to get some work done, you pop open a Redbull or a Monster, right? This is the trend among college students, making coffee a thing of the past. If you have to pull an all-nighter, a six-pack of energy drinks is going to be your new best friend. However, the American Dental Association reported that energy drinks, as well as sports drinks, are causing irreversible damage to the teeth.

The high acidity levels in the drinks erode the tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth. Damage to tooth enamel is irreversible, and without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive, prone to cavities and more likely to decay. Some people like to believe that sports drinks are better for you to drink than soda, but that’s not entirely the case when it comes to your oral health. Although the American Dental Association reported that energy drinks are worse for your tooth enamel than sports drinks, they still recommend limiting your consumption of both.

If you are going to continue to drink these beverages, it is best to chew sugar-free gum or rinse your mouth out with water afterwards. Both of these tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal. Also, you should wait at least an hour to brush your teeth after consuming sports and energy drinks. Otherwise, you will be spreading acid onto the tooth surfaces, increasing the erosive action.

Call our dentists at Artistic Touch Dentistry to schedule an appointment and see what else you can do to achieve good oral health.