http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=HF812422Z&news_headline=sports_drinks_l
inked_to_tooth_erosion

Sports drinks linked to tooth erosion

LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Drinking specialist sports drinks can lead to high
levels of tooth erosion, new research reveals.

The drinks, popular with top athletes for boosting rehydration and energy
levels, cause up to 30 times more enamel loss than water.

Previous research had shown the drinks' high levels of caffeine and fructose
were beneficial to athletes, who can consume between five and ten litres of
these drinks a day when training.

However, the new study has shown that drinking sports drinks when exercising
increases the problems, as exercise dries out your mouth, meaning there is
not enough saliva to combat the drinks' acidity.

It is the acid and not the sugar in the drinks that causes the problem,
because it strips calcium from the enamel of the teeth.

"Tooth erosion can be a significant problem - when the enamel is dissolved
the tooth becomes a lot more sensitive. Eventually the hard dentine and pulp
can be exposed, leading to infection," said Dr Tony Smith, head of research
at Birmingham University's School of Dentistry, who carried out the study.

The study tested one particular drink, which the researchers refused to
name. Dr Smith added: "This study has shown that whilst an existing sports
drink was erosive, it has been possible to formulate this new sports drink
with negligible erosive potential."

Dr Smith also confirmed that many leading athletes, such as Paula Radcliffe
and David Beckham, could be putting their teeth at risk if they are not
using the drinks in the correct way. He said: "If they are rinsing their
mouths out with water after using them there is no risk. But potentially,
yes they could be damaging their teeth."

Paula Radcliffe is known for downing such drinks when she runs, having
consumed eight bottles of a high energy drink in her debut marathon.

Dr Smith added that such drinks could be even more detrimentral to
children's teeth, saying "When drinking sports drinks children are not so
much more prone to tooth erosion, but the enamel on a child's tooth is much
thinner so the amount of time it takes to dissolve the enamel is shorter."

Dr Asker Jeukendrup, director of the university's Human Performance
Laboratory, said the research would pave the way for "future products with
low-corrosive potential that could benefit the teeth as well as the
endurance of sports people at all levels".

To minimise tooth erosion sports drinks should be alternated with water, or
water should be used to rinse the mouth out after, washing away excess sugar
that bacteria consume to create acid. It is also advised that consumers
should look at acid content as well as sugar content, and choose a drink
with a higher pH level, with less acidity