It has become increasingly popular among youngsters to consume sports drinks and energy drinks on a regular basis. Most of them have a misconception that these drinks offer better health benefits than soda. But you will be surprised to know the truth! Yes, the fact is, these drinks can extremely damage the tooth enamel and are deleterious to the health of the teeth. Long-term exposure of the tooth to the acids in these drinks can cause tooth decay. The damage is more severe with energy drinks over sports drinks.
Who is the real culprit?
Energy and sports drinks are loaded with strong acids and sugars. The acids attack your enamel, and it wears off in due course while the sugar serves as an agent to promote bacterial growth. Together acid and sugar is not a good combination and contributes to decay and damage. Visit the best dental clinic for the best treatment.
The need for sports and energy drinks
Although drinking water is the best way to restore the hydration level after a strenuous workout, people tend to prefer sports and energy drinks as these drinks are known to provide instant energy. Most teenagers have it look trendy among their peers. Most energy drinks provide sodium, which is a much-needed electrolyte that needs replenishment after an extreme workout. However, for a moderate workout of less than an hour, drinking plain water is good enough to rehydrate.
How big is the damage?
In fact, every food we consume has got at least one unwanted effect on our body. The effect depends on the quantity you have. Likewise with sports drinks on your teeth, that is, your teeth can erode more quickly with high exposure to such drinks.
The damage can be even irreparable. Once the tooth enamel gets eroded, it cannot be fixed. This can lead to cavities and tooth decay. The sports drinks cause erosion of the enamel, leading to hypersensitivity, and if unchecked, can result in cavity formation.
How to prevent the damage?
The ultimate answer to this is to reduce your cravings for these drinks and cut down on the quantities. But if you think you cannot completely curtail this habit, then consuming them wisely can be of much help.
Do not drink them every day! Go for it only when you carry out intense workouts. Do not keep sipping throughout the day. Instead, drink it all at once. Diluting the drink is another wise option if you are a sport or energy drink lover who wants it more often.
Gargle your mouth with water or chew sugar-free gum after having the sips. Ensure that there are no traces of the drink between your teeth or around your gums.
Do not brush your teeth soon after a drink; wait for an hour at least. Your teeth turn soft immediately after consuming these drinks, and the enamel coating can get scraped off with brushing. This is the reason behind that sensitive feeling if you have ever attempted to brush immediately.
If you are thinking of replacing sugary drinks with sugar-free beverages, a word of caution is that this will not prevent the impact! The sugar-free versions have acid which unfortunately has nearly a similar negative effect on your teeth.
These drinks are made to keep you energized and hydrated during your long day workouts. But they are not supplements for water. So do not consume these drinks on a daily basis or take them as casual drinks. Understanding their bad effects is not enough; moderation of these drinks is a watchword for all the readers.
Protect your smile! Don’t let cavities, tooth discolouration, and sensitivity spoil your smile. Do not get convinced by the advertisements which sell these drinks saying they are better than soda. Instead, you can better benefit from fruit juices that are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants with more replenishing nutrients.
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