Dental Professionals are always telling patients to drink less soda and drink more water. But did you know that Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks are so acidic they can do more damage than soda? A lot of people will choose one of these drinks thinking it will improve their sports performance and give them energy. What they don't understand is that levels of acid are so high in these drinks that they are permanently damaging the tooth enamel. Once the enamel is compromised, the underlying tooth surface, dentin, is exposed. This surface is not as strong as enamel and decays much more quickly. This is becoming a wide spread problem, especially among the youth in our country. The rate of decay among teenagers is growing and reseachers believe these types of drinks are to blame.
The best way to manage this type of decay is to aviod these drinks all together. If you must drink them, you should drink them down, DO NOT SIP ON THEM!!!! Sipping on these drinks over time does not allow the teeth any time to recover from the acids. This will cause more rapid decay. Also, if you have a sports or energy drink you should wait at least an hour before you brush your teeth. The acids from these drinks soften the enamel. If brushing occurs before the enamel hardens up again, it can brush the enamel away. Drinking or rinsing with water after comsuming a sports or energy drink will help stop the acids from attacking the teeth. But remember, the best thing is to not drinks these drinks at all. Water is the best choice!
Information in this article from: AAP: Kids should not consume energy drinks - American Dental Association - ADA.org and http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/245027.php
AAP: Kids should not consume energy drinks - American Dental Association - ADA.org
