Athletes who suck energy gels or sip sports drinks during their workouts may be increasing their risk of cavities.

At least one local dentist said he sees otherwise healthy athletes whose teeth are decayed, likely because of what they eat during a workout. “Endurance athletes that haven’t had cavities, all of a sudden they are 35 or 40 years old and starting to develop decay,” said Dr. Peter Yonan, a Bend dentist.

Yonan said that when people are training, they will swish sips of sports drinks around their mouths to rehydrate. “That ends up coating the teeth” with the sugar that’s in many of those drinks, he said.

The gels, Yonan said, can also be a problem. They are not only full of sugar – popular brands have 6 or 7 grams per serving – but are also sticky, so they stay on teeth.

“When I see someone come in who has a great mouth but they are getting cavities, you ask yourself why,” Yonan said.

Dr. Michael Ferguson, a dentist in Eugene and member of the Academy of Sports Dentistry, said he hadn’t seen the problem in his practice but did understand how it could easily develop.

“Endurance athletes are consuming a lot of carbohydrates,” he said. “One of the worst things you can do to your teeth is consume carbohydrates throughout the day.”

Carbs, said Ferguson, fuel the bacteria that cause cavities. Eating small amounts throughout the day, without brushing your teeth, is a recipe for tooth decay.

There are very few studies on the connection between cavities and energy foods used by athletes. Most concentrate on energy drinks and have found that, as with soda, they may increase a person’s risk of cavities.

One issue is the acid content of energy drinks, a problem that dentists have only recently begun to recognize, said Dr. Mike Shirtcliff, a dentist in Redmond. He cited laboratory studies in which the enamel, the hard substance that coats teeth, dissolved after it was soaked in soda and energy drinks for a couple of weeks.

Acidity is measured on a numerical scale known as pH, with lower numbers representing more acidic substances. If the pH in the mouth dips below 5.5, Ferguson said, it can damage the enamel.

Soda and energy drinks tend to be quite acidic. Gatorade, for example, has a pH of 2.95, according to the Oregon Dental Association.

Ferguson said that level of acidity could “absolutely” damage teeth. “You take a swig of soda or Gatorade and your pH is going to be lowered immediately.”

Saliva, dentists said, can rebalance the pH in the mouth to healthier levels, although athletes may get a double whammy. Not only are they sometimes drinking acidic drinks, but during long training sessions, the mouth tends to dry out so that the saliva is not there to rebalance the mouth, putting them at greater risk of cavities.

The best way to combat the effect of gels or sports drinks, dentists say, is to rinse with water after ingesting these things. “That helps dilute the concentration of sugar that’s remaining in your mouth,” said Dr. Steven Timm, a Bend dentist.

Yonan said that in addition to swishing water, he recommends chewing xylitol gum. That, he said, increases saliva and helps to neutralize acid. Those measures, he said, “significantly reduce the risk of cavities” so athletes can keep training without damaging their teeth.