WHY SPORTS DRINKS ARE LINKED TO TOOTH DECAY

YOU might have missed this rather shocking report, but the Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology journal recently revealed some surprising statistics.

Around half of elite British sportspeople have tooth decay, with twothirds showing signs of gum disease. And this is a story that carries implications for all of us.

The problem is that nutrition in elite sports is so heavily dependent on frequent carbohydrate intake. And in sports where there is great airflow — such as running or cycling — the mouth is more dry, reducing the protective effect of saliva.

It’s also said that stress is a factor, though I am sceptical about this, unless it’s the vomiting that some athletes report before competing: stomach acid is corrosive of tooth enamel.

However, my gut feeling is that sports drinks are also a key factor. While some are calorie-free, which means they contain no sugars, others contain carbohydrate, which will generally mean sugar in some form — a recipe for tooth decay.

And what worries me is that you see so many gym goers and amateur sportsmen, in imitation, swilling on these drinks, which, frankly, few actually need.

As a result, they may be storing up problems for their dental health — and, as evidence increasingly shows, poor dental health is linked to other problems.

For instance, those with gum disease have a greater risk of heart attack and stroke (which is rather ironic if you think about why they’re exercising).

The worst teeth I have seen during my years as a GP have been in children pacified —in other words bribed — with apple juice or other fruit juices, their whole mouths revealing milk teeth damaged down to black stumps due to the interaction of acid and sugar being constantly applied.

It should be a warning to us all. And, anyway, what is the evidence that sports drinks make any difference to athletic performance?