Athletes at Risk of Poor Oral Health

Just because someone is athletic and fit does not mean that they are healthy. Healthy is defined in many ways and there are many systems in the body that need to be healthy, including the mouth. Here at Innovation Dental in Woodbridge we see many healthy patients that do not have a healthy mouth. According to a recent study many elite athletes have oral and dental issues. As much as 49% of those studied had untreated tooth decay and 77% had inflamed gums, even though they had very good hygiene habits.  Most reported regular brushing and flossing.  

What they discovered was that athletes consumed a lot of sugar in the form of sports gels, bars and drinks. Although these products can provide some needed energy during workouts and training, such products often contain up to 35 g of sugar. That is 9 teaspoons! Gatorade contains 21g, Powerade contains 21g, and these can be higher in the gels and some bars.  Make sure you check the labels and possibly choose the lower sugar alternatives.

What is more concerning is that the teens and children are starting to consume these products, sometimes it is even their drink of choice. Here at Innovation dental in Vaughan we discuss diet as a big contribution to tooth decay, and the diet contains a lot more than candy.  Sports drinks and sweet fancy coffees seem to be the new candy!  Buyer Beware.

https://www.inverse.com/amp/article/58747-elite-athletes-and-tooth-decay