Are Sports Drinks Bad for You????

Sports drinks can rehydrate you after a workout, but they may wreak havoc on your teeth. Prolonged comsumption of sports drinks could lead to erosive tooth wear. The sugar in sports drinks encourages bacteria to form in your mouth, making it easier to make their way into weak areas of the teeth. Weak enamel leads to sensitivity and increased risk for cavities.

Studies have shown that sports drinks can damage tooth enamel, even more so than soda, due to a combination of acidic components, sugars and additives.

Some examples of sports drinks are: Gatorade, Powerade, Propel Fit Water, Life Water and Vitamin Water.

So what should you do if you regularly consume these beverages, and don't want to give them up?

Use sports drinks in moderation
Dilute sports drinks with water
Drink sports drinks cold, warm temperatures speed erosion
Use a straw to reduce contact between the drink and the teeth


When Dr. Smyth was playing high school and college hockey, he drank gatorade and water.Gatorade was a fairly new product back then, so the effects  of these types of drinks were not really well known. Dr. Smyth now cautions his patients on the consumption of sports drinks to his patients.


Sources: Chicago Dental Society
               International Association for Dental Research