Every Saturday this fall, I’m in a folding chair at the edge of a soccer field cheering on my grandkids’ school soccer teams. Go Eagles!
And every time I look down the sideline, I see a row of bright blue and red bottles: Gatorade 💔
It makes me die a little bit inside, because I have seen the cumulative effects of that does to a twelve-year-old’s molars…in my dental chair.
My grandkids aren’t getting Gatorade, but they aren’t getting plain water either…
They get an electrolyte powder, with no sugar, no artificial coloring. This electrolyte drink gets its beautiful blue color from spirulina. And it contains magnesium, which helps prevent cramping (and crankiness) after running around in the hot sun.
Why not plain water?
Kids are losing sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and plain water doesn’t put any of it back. But the delivery vehicle does not need to 34 grams of sugar in an acidic solution that wreaks havoc on teeth and the oral microbiome.
A happy tooth isn’t just ‘bathed in saliva.’ It’s bathed in mineral-rich saliva.
Electrolytes (especially magnesium, potassium, and sodium) help your body retain water properly and maintain saliva production, which is your mouth’s natural defense system.
And if your kid does drink a sports drink, don’t let them brush right afterward. The acid temporarily softens the enamel, and brushing scrubs away what’s been softened. Rinse with plain water, wait 30 minutes, then brush.
Hope that tip helps,
Mark
P.S. One of the #1 questions I get from you all is what I use in my own oral care routine, so here they are:
- this rinse in place of mouthwash, twice a day
- this toothpaste twice a day
- this ultra-clean silk floss
- this tongue scraper once a day
- this green tea every day (great for inflammation and cavity prevention)
- this magnesium 500mg 1-2 hours before bed
If I had bleeding gums, here’s what I’d do