Sports Drinks May Soften Teeth

The energy boost you get from sports drinks may be at the expense of your teeth. A recent New York University study found that prolonged consumption of sports drinks may cause erosive tooth wear.

Tooth erosion from sports drinks may occur when citric acid from the drinks eats away at the tooth’s enamel coating, causing softening and weakness. Erosive tooth wear affects one in 15 Americans, and it may result in serious tooth damage or even tooth loss if not treated.

The research team, led by Dr. Mark Wolff, used cow teeth for the study because of their close resemblance to human teeth. The researchers immersed half of the specimens in various top-selling sports drinks for 75-90 minutes to stimulate effects of sipping on the beverages for one day.

The other specimens were placed in water. When the researchers compared the teeth, they discovered that the specimens exposed to the sports drinks showed a significant amount of erosion and softening.

Left: A tooth specimen that was immersed in a sports drink displays signs of erosion from acid. Right: A tooth that was immersed in water only shows no signs of erosion.

In a recent press release about the study, Dr. Wolff advises:

“To prevent tooth erosion, consume sports drinks in moderation, and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth, to allow softened enamel to re-harden. If you frequently consume sports drinks, ask your dentist if you should use an acid-neutralizing remineralizing toothpaste to help re-harden soft enamel.”

Do you consume sports drinks daily?

(Study image credit: Dr. Mark Wolff, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cariology & Comprehensive Care at New York University College of Dentistry. Fruit image via stock.xchng)