Enamel and Sports Nutrition

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, but it is still vulnerable to repeated acid exposure. When the pH around the tooth falls, minerals can begin leaving the enamel surface. This is called demineralization.

Saliva normally helps reverse the situation by:

• diluting acids;
• clearing carbohydrate residue;
• buffering oral pH;
• providing calcium and phosphate;
• supporting remineralization.

They are often discussed together, but they are not the same.

Dental erosion

Erosion is the chemical loss or softening of tooth structure caused directly by acids that do not come from bacteria: sports drinks, energy drinks, acidic gels, citrus products, soft drinks, or gastric acid from reflux or vomiting.

Dental caries

Caries develops when bacteria in dental plaque metabolize fermentable carbohydrates and produce acids. The main risk is not simply how much sugar is consumed — frequency matters. A large amount consumed once gives the mouth a chance to recover. Smaller carbohydrate exposures every 15–30 minutes can repeatedly lower plaque pH and shorten the recovery period.

Endurance athletes may face both processes at once: direct acidity from a product and bacterial acid production from its carbohydrate.

A 2026 laboratory study tested four commercial energy gels under different dilution conditions. The undiluted gels were strongly acidic, with pH values broadly around 2 to 3. Mixing them with increasing amounts of artificial saliva raised the pH, and greater dilution reduced the acidic exposure.¹

The researchers emphasized that pH alone does not determine how much erosion will occur inside a real mouth. Product acidity, contact time, saliva, frequency and individual dental health all matter.

This does not mean that one gel removes a measurable percentage of enamel. There is no scientifically defensible formula such as one gel equals 5% tooth damage. The evidence supports a more careful conclusion:

Laboratory studies show that many sports drinks have low pH and can soften or dissolve enamel under controlled conditions. However, a 2025 systematic review concluded that current human evidence does not establish that sports-drink consumption alone causes dental erosion in athletes. The real-world relationship is affected by frequency, saliva, oral hygiene, product characteristics and total diet.³

This distinction matters. Athletes should not be frightened away from the carbohydrate and fluid they need. The correct message is not sports nutrition destroys teeth. It is:

Sports nutrition can create repeated dental challenges that deserve a deliberate protection strategy.

Salivary flow may decrease

Dehydration, sympathetic activation and prolonged mouth breathing can reduce salivary flow or make saliva feel thicker — meaning slower acid clearance, less effective buffering, reduced lubrication and longer contact between fuel residue and teeth.

Exposure becomes frequent

A runner might take a gel every 25–30 minutes, frequent sips of carbohydrate drink, chews between gels, cola at aid stations and acidic fruit or sweets. The teeth may receive little uninterrupted recovery time for many hours.

Products remain in the mouth

Thick gels and chews may coat the teeth, especially when taken without enough water. Holding a drink in the mouth, swishing it around or sipping continuously extends the contact period.

Brushing may not solve the immediate problem

Brushing directly after prolonged acidic exposure may add mechanical abrasion while the enamel surface is temporarily softened. Oral protection during endurance therefore depends on more than brushing before and after the session.

Oral-health problems are common in studied athlete populations. A 2024 review reported broad prevalence ranges among elite athletes:²

These ranges vary greatly because the studies involved different sports, countries, recruitment methods and diagnostic standards. They should not be interpreted as the risk for every individual athlete. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis also found a high prevalence of caries, gingivitis and erosion among elite athletes, while highlighting substantial differences and limitations across studies.⁶

At the London 2012 Olympic Village dental clinic, 55% of assessed athletes had dental caries, 45% had dental erosion, 76% had gingivitis and 18% reported an effect of oral health on training or performance. Because these athletes were recruited through a dental clinic, the figures should not be generalized to every Olympian — but they show that oral disease can be relevant even at the highest sporting level.⁴⁵

This is the most important point. Carbohydrate intake supports endurance performance. Athletes should not protect their teeth by failing to meet their energy needs.

Water can help dilute and clear concentrated fuel; the 2026 laboratory study found that greater dilution with artificial saliva increased pH, although it could not prove a specific reduction in clinical erosion.¹ Follow the manufacturer's instructions — some gels are intended to be taken with water, others are marketed as isotonic.

A strategy based entirely on acidic sweet products may also become difficult for the athlete's sensory tolerance. Depending on the event, a plan may mix gels, carbohydrate drink, chews, soft food, neutral or savoury options and plain water.

UNBTN Oral Performance was designed for a part of endurance nutrition that is usually ignored: the oral environment between fuel servings. It is a sugar-free lozenge designed to stimulate natural saliva and support oral comfort during prolonged exercise.⁷

By stimulating saliva, UNBTN may support:

• natural lubrication;
• relief of dry-mouth sensations;
• clearance of concentrated fuel residue;
• acid buffering;
• a more comfortable mouth between sweet products;
• continued tolerance of the planned nutrition strategy.

UNBTN uses calcium-balanced HAp⁺, developed to stimulate saliva while being designed as non-erosive under its validated testing conditions. An ordinary acidic sweet may stimulate saliva while also introducing another potentially erosive exposure — HAp⁺ was developed around the challenge of creating a mouth-watering formulation while controlling its mineral balance through added calcium.

A credible scientific article should not claim that every athlete needs UNBTN. Athletes can support oral health through water, structured fuelling, fluoride, good dental care and appropriate product choices.

UNBTN becomes particularly relevant when an athlete repeatedly experiences:

• a dry or sticky mouth;
• concentrated gel residue;
• sweetness fatigue;
• discomfort between fuel servings;
• reluctance to take the next planned carbohydrate.

For athletes whose mouth becomes the weak link in a long fuelling plan, UNBTN is a purposeful oral-performance tool.

What UNBTN does not do

It does not replace water, carbohydrate, electrolytes, fluoride toothpaste or dental treatment. It does not neutralize every gel, repair existing enamel damage, or prevent all caries or erosion. Its role is supportive: stimulate saliva, support oral comfort, help the mouth manage repeated fuelling.

Test this during training rather than introducing it for the first time on race day.

The cost of endurance fuelling should not be framed as a choice between performance and healthy teeth. Athletes need carbohydrates. They also need a mouth capable of tolerating years of training, racing and repeated sports nutrition.

The better approach is to treat oral care as part of performance preparation:

• fuel enough;
• reduce unnecessary exposure;
• use water intelligently;
• stimulate and support saliva;
• protect enamel with established dental care;
• detect problems early.

Your teeth are not separate from your endurance system. Fuel the body. Support the mouth. Protect the years ahead.