Check out this article in Dentistry IQ about the warning that CSHM-associated dentists issued to parents regarding sports and energy drinks.
With temperatures soaring across the country, it is important to keep kids who are playing outdoors hydrated. But, with more and more parents and caregivers turning to sports and energy drinks, parents should be aware of the risks associated with these drinks. Sports and energy drinks often contain citric acid -- a highly erosive ingredient that can eat away at tooth enamel. The risks of these drinks were recently highlighted in a study published in the June issue of the American Academy of Pediatrics Journal, Pediatrics.
“As children of all ages engage in outdoor activities during the summer, there is a growing tendency toward the consumption of sports and energy drinks instead of water,” said Dr. Steve Adair of CSHM. “The Academy’s advice to parents on this issue is clear. Encourage your kids to drink water instead of acidic, high-carb drinks that may increase the risk of tooth decay.”
The report stated that dental erosion from sports and energy drinks are “of concern” in children and adolescents, and pointed to a common ingredient – citric acid – that is “highly erosive” because it continues to eat away at tooth enamel even after a drink containing citric acid has been consumed.
Among the AAP’s recommendations were the following:
• That parents should be informed that routine ingestion of carbohydrate-containing sports drinks by children and adolescents should be avoided or restricted.
• Awareness should be raised among children, parents and educators that sports drink intake can lead to excessive caloric consumption and an increased risk of obesity and dental erosion.
• Water, not sports or energy drinks, should be aggressively promoted as the principal source of hydration for children and adolescents.
