Your little athletes need to stay hydrated whether they're playing hard in practice, the big game, or the backyard. You may be tempted to give them sports drinks, which are touted to restore electrolytes and provide hydration. However, water is the wiser option for their all-around health, including oral hygiene. Here's a closer look at what's inside sports drinks and why you should switch to the natural option.

What Are the Ingredients in Sports Drinks?

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These minerals have an electrical charge that helps water flow into the cells, maintaining a proper fluid balance throughout the body and maintaining proper hydration. Many of those minerals are carried out through your pores through sweat, so when athletes work hard, their electrolyte levels drop. This can make it tougher for them to stay hydrated. 

Sports drinks are packed with sodium and potassium designed for adult athletes pushing themselves to the maximum, not children playing in minimally intensive sports games. Your young ones can easily replenish their lost electrolytes with a piece of potassium-packed fruit, such as a banana or clementine.

Sugar

Sports drinks are made to taste good and boost energy, so they're packed full of sugar from ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and sucrose. The amount of sugar in them is excessive for an adult, which makes them an especially bad choice for a child. The average 32-ounce sports drink has between 56 and 76 grams of sugar, which is four to six times the recommended daily amount for kids under the age of 18. 

The high sugar levels are also bad for their oral hygiene. The sugars stick to the teeth, where they harden into plaque and fuel the growth of bacteria. This infection leads to common issues like cavities and gum disease. 

Acid

Sports drinks also have a high amount of citric acid, which lengthens their shelf life and gives them a tasty flavor. However, this acid has a low pH level that can cause it to eat through enamel, the hard protective outer layer on the teeth that protects them from sensitivity to temperature and cavities. This high acidity is a big reason why sports drinks have been found to start destroying teeth in as little as five days of consistent consumption. 

Why Is Water a Better Choice?

Water is what your young ones really need to stay hydrated and fuel their growing body. Drinking cool water replaces what's lost in sweat and helps cool down their body temperature on those hot game days. 

It's perfectly safe for their oral hygiene and long-term health, so they can drink as much as they need. For the best results, make water a daily habit and save the sports drink for an occasional treat during a long tournament day. 

As you protect your children's oral hygiene on the field, a great pediatric dentist will protect it as they grow. La Crosse Pediatric Dentistry offers high-quality and friendly care for the entire family. Their services include sealants, teeth cleanings, and fluoride treatments to protect your children from a wide range of oral issues. Learn more on their website and call (608) 782-4054 to schedule an appointment at their La Crosse County, WI, office.