Sports Drinks, Kids Mouth Guards and More: How Parents Can Protect Their Athletes’ Teeth

Healthy habits should begin at a young age, which is why it’s so great to get kids into sports. On the other hand, playing sports, especially contact sports like football, can be dangerous. One of the risks is the damage that can happen to a child’s teeth.

A sport mouth guard for kids is one way to protect your young athlete’s teeth, but there are other things to consider, like reducing sports drinks. Our pediatric dental experts answer some common questions about sports and dental health and provide preventive solutions.

Is Gatorade Bad for Your Teeth?

 Newtown Dentisty’s Pediatric and Orthodontic check in desk with purple walls, decorative clouds, and fun colors.Sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade have become ubiquitous not just for adults but also in kids’ sports. They boost hydration by replenishing electrolytes, which can be useful when children are sweating a lot. But are these drinks bad for your child’s teeth?

Moderate consumption of sports drinks will not likely cause serious problems, but there are some risks that increase with the amount and frequency consumed:

  • Like soda and juice, sports drinks are acidic. Consuming acidic beverages contributes to dental erosion, the loss of protective enamel on the outside of the teeth.
  • Most sports drinks contain sugar to help athletes refuel. Sugary drinks can be bad for dental health because the sugar interacts with bacteria in the mouth to produce acid.
  • Dental erosion caused by sugar and acid can contribute to dental caries, tooth discoloration, and hypersensitivity.

You can avoid these issues by providing water instead of sports drinks. For most active children, water is adequate for hydration. If your child engages in more intense exercise or endurance athletics, talk to their pediatrician about when and how often sports drinks might be appropriate for them.

Gum Chewing and Dental Health

Chewing gum is often associated with sports, and kids often get in on this trend at early ages. Some people believe it improves concentration or boosts blood flow. Whether there is any truth to this is debatable, but there are some definite downsides to chewing gum frequently.

Gum with sugar is bad for your child’s teeth. Like sugary drinks, sugar in gum can lead to tooth erosion due to the acid created by bacteria. On the other hand, sugar-free gum can have some benefits for oral health. Always choose a sugar-free gum with xylitol. Chewing stimulates saliva production, which is vital for a healthy mouth.

Why Is Using a Mouth Guard for Kids So Important?

A smiling Newtown Dentistry team member holds different types of sport mouth guard for kids.Pediatric dental injuries related to sports are unfortunately common. Every year, more than 11,000 kids in the U.S. suffer dental injuries while being active. Some of the most dangerous situations include playing baseball or softball and riding bicycles.

You might expect that contact sports like hockey or football would cause more dental injuries, but kids who participate in these sports are more likely to wear protective mouth guards. Kids who don’t wear a mouth guard while playing sports are much more likely to suffer injury to their mouths, jaws, and teeth.

The right mouth guard can protect your child from several injuries:

  • Tooth fractures and displacements
  • Tooth loss
  • Soft tissue injuries to the tongue, lips, or cheeks
  • Jaw fractures

Getting a kids’ mouth guard can be as easy as purchasing a stock product or a boil-and-bite mouth guard. The latter offers a better fit but is still not perfectly customized to your child’s mouth.

The safest option is to get a professionally equipped mouth guard. Our pediatric dentist uses impressions of your child’s teeth to make a mouth guard that is optimally protective. When a mouth guard fits well, it’s more comfortable, so your child is more likely to wear it consistently.

If you have more questions about mouth guards or how to protect your young athlete’s teeth, come and see us. Make an appointment with our pediatric dentist to get fitted for a mouth guard and to discuss your questions and concerns.

  • AUTHOR

    Newtown Dentistry

  • DATE

    August 26, 2024

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