Sports drinks, energy drinks & your teeth

When it comes to keeping that smile of yours looking healthy, most of the time it’s easy to identify which foods and drinks to avoid. Steering away from that soda may protect you from a cavity or two, but there are a couple more dangers out there when you’re looking for something to drink that you should watch out for.

If you play sports or go to the gym, you may grab a sports drink to replenish those electrolytes; if you need to work a few extra hours, you may grab an energy drink to give you that extra boost of caffeine that your normal cup of coffee couldn’t give you. But beware; sports drinks and energy drinks contain very high amounts of sugar that can be dangerous to your teeth.

Too much sugar leads to tooth decay

Tooth decay all begins with food particles on your teeth. In this case, when you drink an energy drink or sports drink, all of that sugar is going to be sitting on your teeth until you take the time to brush, floss, and rinse it all away. If you leave all those sugar particles on your teeth, the bacteria that form will mix with your saliva to turn into acid that will start to eat away at your tooth enamel. If you drink these beverages regularly and you let them slowly damage your teeth, you could develop tooth decay or other serious dental issues.

To protect you and your smile from decay, we recommend always brushing, flossing, and rinsing as a part of a healthy oral hygiene routine. Also, if you’re looking for something that’s refreshing and energizing, nothing will have you feeling better and more hydrated than water.

The dangers of kids & sports drinks

Sports drinks are a very common choice for kids both when playing sports and being active, or simply with meals due to the variety of flavors. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids drink water as opposed to sports drinks in order to maintain good oral health and physical condition. Beyond the extra sugar in the drinks contributing to tooth decay, these drinks often contain ingredients that kids don’t need that put on extra calories, which can lead to other health problems.

Contact your local orthodontist today

If you have any questions about the dangers sports and energy drinks pose to your oral health or that of your kids, just contact your local orthodontist at any of the three Charlottesville Orthodontics offices! Our friendly staff will help you get the information you’re looking for. We proudly serve the communities of Charlottesville, Zion Crossroads, and the surrounding areas.