Charity says public are “unaware of the dangers of sports drinks” on oral health
The Oral Health Foundation have given their support to the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) UK following the publication of research which shows that regularly drinking sports drinks is a serious risk to children’s health.
The research by Cardiff University School of Dentistry shows that 68% of 12-14 year olds are regularly consuming sports drinks which are unnecessarily high in sugar. The research reinforces the Oral Health Foundation’s position that there is a lack of awareness in the general public of the harmful impact some foods and drinks that claim to have health benefits can have on our oral health. The charity is calling for more to be done to educate people about the dangers of hidden sugars so that they know where to look for them.
Dr Ben Atkins, Trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, stated that “The public are far too unaware of the dangers of sports drinks to our oral health and this all stems from a lack of knowledge on what is ‘healthy’ and what isn’t.
“Drinking sports drinks has become the social norm and this should most definitely not be the case, children absolutely should not have these drinks, they are designed for sporting professionals to aid performance. There is even strong evidence that their use by professional athletes contributes to high levels of tooth decay.
“More than 33,000 children are admitted to hospital each year to have teeth removed under general anaesthetic […] and we are in no doubt that some of this is due to a lack of knowledge around hidden sugars and misrepresentation of ‘healthy alternatives’.”
The Oral Health Foundation is calling on the public to be aware of hidden sugars and opt for water or milk, which are the most tooth kind drinks. The charity also wants tighter regulation around the marketing of sports drinks to children as a ‘healthy’ option over soft drinks.
