2]VM-);<-:67:-/768):-6< Sports drinks may not be as healthy as you think LJKsZ͕Z͘͘,͘ KŶĞŽĨŵLJƉĂƟĞŶƚƐŝƐĂŚŝŐŚ school basketball player who plays ĂůůLJĞĂƌƌŽƵŶĚ͘,ĞŝƐĂƐƵƉĞƌƐƚĂƌĂƚŚ- lete with college basketball hopes. Well, guess what? Even superstar athletes are not immune to dental decay. At his recent dental exam, he ŚĂĚϭϭĐĂǀŝƟĞƐ͘,ŝƐŵŽŵĂůŵŽƐƚĨĞůů over when she heard this! tĞŶĞĞĚĞĚƚŽĮŐƵƌĞŽƵƚǁŚĂƚ ǁĂƐĐĂƵƐŝŶŐƚŚĞƐĞĐĂǀŝƟĞƐ͘/ didn’t ask him whether or not he eats candy; I asked him what he drinks be- tween meals. And sure enough, it looked like daily sports drinks were the culprit. Sports drinks, even if they are sugar free, are very acidic. Drink- ing acidic beverages can ƐŽŌĞŶƚĞĞƚŚĂŶĚĂĐƚƵĂůůLJ pull the calcium right out of tooth enamel, leading ƚŽĐĂǀŝƟĞƐ͘ It’s important that our kids stay hydrated during ƐƉŽƌƚƐ͕ĨƌŽŵƚŚĞƟŶŝĞƐƚdͲďĂůůƉůĂLJ- er to the state wrestling champion. Sports drinks may be harsh on the teeth, but is water enough? I asked ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚŝĞƟƟĂŶDĂƌLJ>Ğŵŵ Davis to explain the best ways to keep our young athletes hydrated. Is water enough for my child’s ŚLJĚƌĂƟŽŶŶĞĞĚƐ͍ Yes, but ensure that your child is well hydrated before the event. ;ƐůŝƩůĞĂƐϭƉĞƌĐĞŶƚůŽƐƐŽĨďŽĚLJ weight may hinder physical perfor- mance.) dŚĞƚŚƌĞĞͲŚŽƵƌƟŵĞƉĞƌŝŽĚ ďĞĨŽƌĞĂƐƉŽƌƚƐĞǀĞŶƚŝƐĐƌŝƟĐĂů͘dǁŽ to three hours before the game, ŽīĞƌĨŽŽĚƐŚŝŐŚŝŶĐĂƌLJĚƌĂƚĞ such as bread, rice, potatoes or pasta with vegetables and some protein. Encourage two to four cups of water as part of this meal. One to two hours prior to the game again encourage two to four cups of water. If the child is hungry, very light foods are recommended such as fresh fruit with crackers or bread. ŶŚŽƵƌƚŽŐĂŵĞƟŵĞ͕ĨŽŽĚŝƐŶŽƚ suggested, but another 2-4 cups of water should be ingested. Dur- ing the game or training, fruit such watermelon, oranges or grapes can ďĞŽīĞƌĞĚǁŝƚŚǁĂƚĞƌ͘ Children need 3 to 5 oz. of water every 15 to 20 minutes during prac- ƟĐĞŽƌŐĂŵĞƐ͘dĞĞŶƐƐŚŽƵůĚĚƌŝŶŬϰ to 6 oz. every 15 minutes. Teen ath- ůĞƚĞƐƐŚŽƵůĚǁĞŝŐŚďĞĨŽƌĞĂŶĚĂŌĞƌ exercise to determine sweat loss and take in 16 to 24 oz. of water for every pound lost. The American Academy of Pedi- atrics (AAP) recommends that chil- dren and adolescents be taught to ĚƌŝŶŬǁĂƚĞƌ͞ƌŽƵƟŶĞůLJĂƐĂŶŝŶŝƟĂů beverage of choice” and “generally ΀ĂƐ΁ƚŚĞĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞĮƌƐƚĐŚŽŝĐĞĨŽƌ ŚLJĚƌĂƟŽŶďĞĨŽƌĞ͕ĚƵƌŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚĂŌĞƌ most exercise regimens.” ƌĞƐƉŽƌƚƐĚƌŝŶŬƐŚĞůƉĨƵů͍ If a child or teen is exercising under an hour, water is the best ĐŚŽŝĐĞĨŽƌƌĞŚLJĚƌĂƟŽŶ͘^ƉŽƌƚƐĚƌŝŶŬƐ ĂƌĞĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĞĚǁŚĞŶƉŚLJƐŝĐĂůĂĐƟǀ- ity has occurred for over an hour to ƌĞƉůĂĐĞŇƵŝĚĂŶĚĞůĞĐƚƌŽůLJƚĞƐůŽƐƚŝŶ sweat. Sports drinks may be high in sugar, which can cause cramp- ing, nausea or diarrhea during exercise. Sports drinks are advised ŝŶĞǀĞŶƚƐůĂƐƟŶŐůŽŶŐĞƌƚŚĂŶ 60 to 90 minutes. Read the label for carbohydrate or sugar content. Sports drinks containing 6 to 8 percent total carbohydrate are rec- ommended to replace en- ĞƌŐLJƐƚŽƌĞƐĂŶĚŇƵŝĚůŽƐƐĞƐ͘ Sodium and other electro- lytes are normally replaced through foods eaten at the next meal. How do I get my kids to ĚƌŝŶŬŵŽƌĞǁĂƚĞƌ͍ KīĞƌǁĂƚĞƌĂƚƚŚĞƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞ Family Health that the child prefers. Cold or cool ǁĂƚĞƌŝƐĮŶĞ͘/ƚŝƐĂŵLJƚŚƚŚĂƚĚƌŝŶŬ- ing cold water causes cramps. For ŽƵƚƐŝĚĞĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐŝŶĐŽůĚŵŽŶƚŚƐ͕ water that is warm or at room tem- perature may be more acceptable. KīĞƌǁĂƚĞƌƚŽĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĞĂƌůLJŝŶůŝĨĞ ĂŶĚŽŌĞŶƐŽƚŚĂƚŝƚďĞĐŽŵĞƐƚŚĞ beverage of choice. ,ŽǁŵƵĐŚŇƵŝĚƐŚŽƵůĚ/ŽīĞƌĂĨ- ƚĞƌƉŽƐƚͲƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ͕ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ͕ŽƌŐĂŵĞ͍ tŝƚŚŝŶĂŶŚŽƵƌĂŌĞƌƚŚĞƐƉŽƌƚƐ ĞǀĞŶƚ͕ŽīĞƌĨŽŽĚƐŚŝŐŚŝŶĐĂƌLJ- drate such a fresh fruit, 100 percent fruit juice, whole grain bread, crack- ers, or a sandwich. Encourage 4 to 8 cups of water over the next several hours. ________ Kim Glover is a Registered Dental ,LJŐŝĞŶŝƐƚĂƚƌŽĂĚǁĂLJ&ĂŵŝůLJĞŶ- ƚĂůĂƌĞ;ǁǁǁ͘ďǁĂLJĚĞŶƚĂů͘ĐŽŵͿ ŝŶDŝůƚŽŶͲ&ƌĞĞǁĂƚĞƌ͘DĂƌLJ>Ğŵŵ Davis is owner of Eastern Oregon EƵƚƌŝƟŽŶ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐŝŶWĞŶĚůĞƚŽŶ͘