Endurance riding and dental health

[joomz]

I've been thinking while on my regular 8 hour saturday rides, there's an awful lot of sugar in my mouth for an awfully long time. Sports drink, bars, gels... That can't be good for the old pearly whites can it?

Any ideas on stuff that's got plenty of carbs but isn't so rough on teeth? Are maltodextrin based products any better for teeth than glucose/fructose/sucrose? I've heard they're less sugary testing, but haven't tried them. Was thinking of mixing myself up some homebrew based on maltodextrin anyway, because the sugary taste of the stuff I've been using does get tiring after a few hours.

Any advice/experience appreciated!

[skull]

There is a product called sukkie http://www.sukkie.com.au/ which claims to have dental protection.

I haven't tried it.

I know what you mean about sugar issues tho, on a few multi day events having all that sugary stuff my teeth hurt.

[Reman]

Jam sandwiches?

[joomz]

Jam sandwiches?

Not a bad idea! However, a jam sandwich has about 50g of carbohydrates. That's about how much I need per hour for an 8 hour ride (I think that's about right). I doubt I could fit 8 jam sandwiches in a jersey pocket. Unfortunately, compact carb sources are necessary for long rides I think, unless of course a backpack is permissible

[greyhoundtom]

The only partial solution I can think of is to always have one biddon of plain water to rinse your mouth after eating or drinking products with a lot of sugar.

Swish and swallow.

[boss]

Make sure you drink before and after eating, so there is saliva in your mouth when eating sugary foods.

Avoid sports drinks when you have a dry mouth too. They contain sugars and acids that'll wreak havoc.

Saliva protects your teeth against decay.

But yes - water before and after eating - you will be fine. Say no to Gatorade et al.

[joomz]

Good tips, keeping a bidon of plain water for a rinse makes sense.
Found a fact sheet here too : http://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/reso ... 202010.pdf
They suggest that the water isn't going to neutralize the acid of the sports drink, but at least it will help to get rid of a bit of residue and help saliva production.

[AndyTheMan]

Would chewing gum help? Not sure, but might be a decent suggestion?

[winstonw]

there's a view dental issues are a result of dehydration, which results in a drier mouth, and more opportunity for sugars to stick to teeth.
stay well hydrated. you could also pack dried fruit in addition to gels.