2]VM-);<-:67:-/768):-6<
Sports drinks may not be as healthy as you think
LJ</D'>KsZ͕Z͘͘,͘
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
ĂƐƚŚĞĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞĮƌƐƚĐŚŽŝĐĞĨŽƌ
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