Q. Can sports drinks be bad for children?
A. Recent research study shows that regular consumption of sports drinks can be a serious risk to children’s dental health. Around 68 percent of 12 to 14-year-olds are found to have been unnecessarily consuming sports drinks that are high in sugar.
Leading health charities such as the Oral Health Foundation have stated that there is an obvious lack of public awareness on the harmful effects of food and drink that claims to be “healthy” can have on oral health. A lot of sports drinks often contain hidden sugars and so you should always be on the lookout for these and try to make healthier, alternative choices such as drinking water or milk.
The consumption of sports drinks has become normal for children to have, which it should not be. These types of drinks are specially designed for sporting and fitness professionals in order to aid performance and have no nutritional value for children. Sports drinks should not be seen as any kind of alternative to soft drinks.
Every year, 33,000 children on average need to have teeth removed and this is partly due to the lack of oral health education and lack of knowledge on these hidden sugars in the food and drink they are consuming which have been labeled as “healthy.”If you are unsure of food and drink choices for you and your children, speak to your dentist about different and healthier options that will be beneficial for teeth (and overall health).
Through education, we can help provide a better and healthier future for children. For more information about dental problems contact Synergy Dental Clinics Preston, e-mail preston@synergydental.org.uk or go to https://synergydental.org.uk/synergy-dental/dentist-in-preston/