Sipping on Sugar - The Dangers of Sports Drinks!
The dangers of sugary sports drinks
The arrival of the new year brings a new start, a clean slate and with it, new years resolutions! After the excess of the festive season, getting fit and healthy is often at the top of the list, with three quarters of all new gym memberships being purchased in January. Exercise is great for your overall health and links have been made between good overall health and good oral health. But there’s a hidden (sports related) risk that is increasingly rearing its ugly head.Getting up, out and active is often accompanied by sugary sports drinks, bars and snacks that can boost your performance but are wreaking havoc with your teeth. Recent research has found that triathletes have significantly more cavities than the average Joe and this gap is heightened the more regularly the athlete trains. After the 2012 Olympics in London, it was discovered that 55% of the athletes had tooth decay!The reason these sports drinks and snacks are destructive to your teeth is due to their high sugar content which upsets the PH balance in your mouth. This lowered PH balance leads to an increase of acid which erodes the enamel, resulting in staining, cavities and potentially gum disease.The most effective way to overcome this is to stay clear of fizzy, sugary drinks and instead stick to still water to keep you nice and hydrated. If you can’t do without something with a sugary kick, next time you head to the gym, for a run or a cycle, take some chewing gum with you to enjoy at the end of your workout.