sweet drinks, gels, bars... MY TEETH?!?!?!

So I'm riding Saturday, I'm into my 9th bottle (long ride) of my favorite ride drink. I've got power bar wedged in between my teeth (5th one of the day), and I'm passing the time trying to flick it out of the cracks with my tongue. And it occurs to me this can't be good for oral hygiene.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, ARE WE RUINING OUR TEETH?!?!?

Seriously? And there seems to be no real way around it. We need carbs/calories to survive the long haul on a bike.

6 hours yesterday in the saddle to be healthy, and the whole time my teeth are soaking in sugar and encrusted with a poor example of a real candy bar...

Anybody else thinking about this? Ideas or solutions?

I'm wondering about taking actual water on recovery days in addition to a regular ride drink. Kind of get some fresh water in there once in a while to swish around.

Could this be us!?!?!

__________________
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"Was" 39 year old guy Blood pressure: 143/84, Resting Pulse: 68, weight: 230
"summer 2004" 40 year old guy. Blood pressure: 121/66, Resting pulse: 45, weight: 175
1-1-2005 Blood pressure: 115/55, Resting pulse: 44, weight: 170
6-1-2005 Blood pressure: 105/52, resting pulse: 40, weight: 175
40k-TT, 1:05

I found a lot more tartar on my teeth when I was using a sport drink on long rides. My dentist noticed it too. I didn't get any cavities fortunately.

Now I bring bars/gel packs and wash it down with H2O. I also stop for real food more frequently. Those roadside fruit stands are a godsend!

Definitely add in some fresh water. You don't need all that sugar on top of the other "stuff" in the drinks/bars. If you use 50% water, 50% sports drink, you will be just fine. Add in some regular food-peanut butter sandwich or other easy items and yes, your teeth will thank you for it.

This is a concern and I believe has been documented in the literature (dental literature, however, is not something I read every day!). A professor of dentistry recommended to me taking a bottle of water on rides where 2 bottles of sports drink are not absolutely necessary and rinsing with the water following consumption of sports drink. Another suggestion, which takes a little more commitment, is to take a fluoridated gum like steradent and chew it as well as doing the water rinse.