Gatorade Tooth Aid
Steamy summer days have your kids craving sports drinks? Remind them to grab a quick sip of water when they're done.
Sports drinks recently topped a list of beverages that may damage tooth enamel. Researchers suspect the sugar, artificial sweeteners, or flavorings they contain may be to blame. Other beverages on the list: noncola soft drinks and lemonade. Have your child rinse his mouth after sipping these beverages or opt for water instead.
In a recent study, when bits of enamel were soaked in one of a variety of soft drinks for 14 days, researchers found flavored beverages such as noncola sodas, commercial lemonades, and sports drinks were most likely to damage tooth enamel. Although acidity levels of different drinks appeared to have no effect on tooth enamel, sugar, artificial sweeteners, flavorings, and preservatives may explain the damage caused by these drinks.
If your child is a fan of sports drink or other flavored beverages, have him use a straw; this may minimize the contact between the beverage and his teeth. After he's finished the drink, have him do a quick mouth rinse with water instead of brushing. This will help gently remove the damaging compounds without causing more harm to your child's temporarily compromised tooth enamel.
