Posted on 1/20/2019 by Dr. Leary
|After a workout, a sports game, or any type of intense exercise, you may be tempted to reach for a sports drink.
These drinks are advertised as helping you rehydrate and get the vitamins and minerals you need to play longer and work harder. But did you know that they may be doing more harm than good?
What's in a Sports Drink?
The main reason why these drinks aren't the best for you is because many of them are full of sugar and salt. Yes, they may help rehydrate your body and can eve restore some of the electrolytes you've lost through sweat, but all of that sugar is not good for your teeth.
In fact, sometimes these sports drinks have just as much sugar in them as sodas do. In fact, they may do more harm than sodas. When you exercise, you often drink a lot because your mouth gets dry. That means there's less saliva in your mouth to wash away the sugar that's sticking to your teeth.
If you seem to have a lot of cavities and don't know where they came from, consider how many sports drinks you consume in a day. You might be surprised to find that they're the problem.
Besides damaging your teeth with all of that sugar, sports drinks can also cause you to gain weight. Consuming large amounts of sugar also increases your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.
Water Is the Best Option
Instead of drinking sports drinks, reach for a bottle of water. You won't have to worry about consuming any sugar. Water will quench your thirst, help cool you down, and rehydrate you. If you want something a bit more flavorful, look for sugar-free flavor mix-ins. Just stay away from the sports drinks.
If you do have a lot of cavities from drinking sports drinks for years, call us today so we can set up an appointment and start work on repairing your teeth.