A Leading Sports Drink Reduces the Rate of Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Background: Sports drinks, also referred to as carbohydrate and electrolyte replacement fluids, are mostly consumed because of their ability to rehydrate the body and replenish lost nutrients during physical workout. The increasing knowledge concerning the health risks associated with too much sugar and the presence of artificial sweeteners on diet sodas have shifted the attention of the discerning market towards sports drinks. It is highly likely that sports drinks' consumers may include teenagers and young adults who are undergoing orthodontic treatment. Therefore, in view of the rising popularity of sports drinks, it is both timely and prudent to investigate their potential effects on the tooth and its supporting structures.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a leading sports drink on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement in guinea pigs.

Methodology: An experimental study design was employed in this investigation. The animal trial randomly allocated 15 male adult guinea pigs into three groups: low dose (25 mL/kg), high dose (100 mL/kg), and water as control group. A 0.014 inch stainless steel wire formed into a helical torsion spring with a coil, with the loops cemented onto the maxillary incisors of the animals, served as the orthodontic appliance. Daily oral administration of a leading sports drink was provided to the experimental groups. On the 28th day, direct linear measurements of the amount of tooth separation between the maxillary incisors were obtained using a digital caliper.

Results and Conclusion: The results of the ANOVA showed that inclusion of the sports drink in the diet has significantly reduced the amount of tooth movement in guinea pigs (p = 0.0000). Using the Tukey's HSD, it was noted that the three groups are also significantly different from each other. In the light of this finding, orthodontic patients should be advised to limit their daily intake of sports drinks in order to avoid longer treatment time and delayed achievement of the desired outcomes.

Key words: sports drinks, tooth movement, orthodontic appliance