CHICAGO (May 1, 2012)—A recent study published in the May/June
2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical
journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an
alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy
drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible
damage to teeth—specifically, the high acidity levels in the
drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.
"Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will
improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they
are 'better' for them than soda," says Poonam Jain, BDS, MS,
MPH, lead author of the study. "Most of these patients are
shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their
teeth with acid." Researchers examined the acidity levels in 13
sports drinks and nine energy drinks. They found that the
acidity levels can vary between brands of beverages and flavors
of the same brand. To test the effect of the acidity levels, the
researchers immersed samples of human