Are Sports Drinks More Damaging than Soda?

By: Tania McPherson RDH

      Thanks to decades of dental professionals advocating against the consumption of carbonated beverages, parents are far more aware of the dental risks to their children’s oral health by consuming too much soda.  Sports drinks, however, are substantially more damaging to teeth than soda. . Many parents are unaware that when they send their child to school or a game with a sport drink in their bag or allow them to purchase such beverages from the school’s vending machine their child’s dental health could be at risk. 

     A study in the Jan/Feb 2005 issue of General Dentistry states that, depending on the brand, there can be up to an 11 times greater risk of damaging the tooth’s enamel (outer surface) from drinking a sports drink than from a soda!  This increased risk is a result of the added ingredients found in sports drinks. Many contain additional organic acids that attack and weaken the enamel layer of the tooth. This is called dental erosion. These weakened areas are then prone to decay due to the excessive amounts of sugar found in these products. The acids are added to help make the product taste good and to help speed up the body’s absorption of the fluids.  Sports drinks have been heavily marketed towards athletes. However, there are conflicting studies as to whether these drinks are truly better than plain water.

     There are some ways to help reduce your child’s risk of dental erosion. The simplest and best way is to give them plain water. Unless the child is involved in extremely vigorous activity, water should be enough to keep them hydrated.

     There are other ways to limit the amount of dental erosion your child may experience. It is recommended that the child drink the beverage quickly rather than taking small repeated sips helping to reduce the enamel’s exposure to the acidic beverage.  The use of a straw can also help by allowing the beverage to pass through the teeth with minimal contact time.  Rinsing out with water after drinking a sports drink will help by washing off any residual acids.

     Regular dental check-ups are a good way to protect your child. The Dentist and Hygienist will evaluate your child‘s teeth to determine if any damage has occurred and recommend any treatment options that may be indicated. Dental x-rays will reveal any hidden damage between the teeth where most erosion begins. Home-care techniques will also be reviewed with you and your child to ensure the only thing your child will need to worry about at the game is the score! 

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--Dr. Arthur F. Eddy