Sports Drinks Linked to Enamel Erosion
In our last dental blog, we learned that sports drinks are not as healthy as you might think. In fact, sports drinks have a deadly combination of sugar and acidity that can wreak havoc on your tooth enamel. Weakened enamel creates an environment for cavities, tooth sensitivity, and staining. If you are an athlete this news may be disappointing; however, our Lake Forest dentist, Dr. Fondriest has tips for drinking sports drinks responsibly.
Avoid Tooth Staining
Although sports drinks seem to be more harmful to your enamel than soft drinks, according to the study done by New York University’s College of Dentistry, soft drinks are still bad for your teeth. If you have an obsession with soft drinks, your teeth may also benefit from heeding this advice: drink with a straw. Researchers found that Powerade and Gatorade were guilty of causing the most tooth discoloration. Other infamous tooth staining drinks include soft drinks, coffee, red wine, and tea. Drinking through a straw when you can will keep your front teeth from essentially straining the dark beverage.
Prevent Continual Acid Erosion
One of the main ways you can harm your teeth is by continually reintroducing sugar and acid into mouth. For example, if you take a sports drink with you on a road trip and continually sip on the beverage over a period of hours, you are prolonging acid and sugar exposure. This means that sugar and acid formation is constantly attacking your tooth enamel, causing your teeth to become weak for a long period of time. If you are going to have a soft drink or sports beverage, drink it quickly then put it down. You can also drink water in between sips to help wash away the sugar and acid that harms your teeth.
Lake Forest Dentist Addresses Enamel Loss
Concerned about your enamel erosion or your risk of cavities? Contact Lake Forest Dental Arts at (847) 234-0517 to schedule a dental examination. We are currently accepting new patients in Lake Forest, North Shore, Glen View, Winnetka, and the neighboring Chicago communities.
