“Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda,” said Poonam Jain, lead author of the study. “Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”
Jain and colleagues analyzed the acidity, pH and fluoride of 13 different sports energy drinks and nine energy drinks (including Gatorade and Red Bull) by submerging samples of human tooth enamel in each beverage for 15 minutes. They then immersed the samples in artificial saliva for two hours. This was repeated four times a day for five days and observed damage to the enamel at the end of the five days.
According to the research, energy drinks were the worst culprits. While acid levels vary among brands and flavors of energy drinks, they caused twice as much damage as the sports drinks.
“Bacteria convert sugar to acid, and it’s the acid bath that damages enamel, not the sugar directly,” according to Dr. David Katz, the director of the Yale Prevention Center. “So by incorporating a high acid load in a drink, we are just cutting out the middleman on the way to tooth decay.”
These drinks are glorified sodas, with as much or more sugar, said Katz.
So the next time when you’re reaching for a sports or energy drink, consider water instead. It just may be better for your health!
SOURCES: Academy of General Dentistry, news release, May 1, 2012
Are you thinking of using mouthwash and wondering what your family dentist recommends? For those that practice good oral hygiene, the daily use of mouthwash is part of their routine. For those who do not practice proper oral hygiene, mouthwash is often used as a substitute for brushing their teeth.Despite the ease and benefits of…
When it comes to the food that we eat every day, there are some that are much more teeth-friendly than others. In this article, we will cover 7 of the best teeth-friendly foods that are excellent choices when picking your next meal.The health of a person's teeth can be impacted by the food they choose…
You use your brush to scrub off food particles from teeth and to remove the disgusting film from your tongue, but rarely do you clean your toothbrush. Cleaning a toothbrush is one of the essential aspects of oral hygiene that helps you stay protected from the proliferation of bacteria.Toothbrushes are undoubtedly a fertile breeding place…
Poor oral hygiene manifests in a number of different forms. From bleeding or swelling gums to toothaches, growths in the mouth and alterations to the tongue's surface, poor oral hygiene has plenty of forms. Some patients exhibit several common indications of poor oral hygiene. Here is a look at some of the most common signs…
A kid-friendly dentist treats oral health concerns in children. However, an equally important part of their job is to work with parents to improve their child’s oral hygiene at home. This is because the majority of oral care takes place away from the office, so parents knowing how to help their child maintain a beautiful…
A dental implants restoration can replace a missing tooth that falls out naturally, gets knocked out or is extracted. A dental implant restoration is often recommended after tooth extraction, as it prevents bone loss from occurring and offers cosmetic and functional benefits. There are several ways to replace a missing tooth after an extraction, including with…