Sports drinks may give you an energy boost when you’re working out. But disturbing new evidence suggests they may also be wreaking havoc on your pearly whites.

New findings presented at the International Association for Dental Research in Miami suggest that the high levels of citric acid in sports drinks can erode enamel, making teeth much more vulnerable to decay. The scientists immersed cows’ teeth in samples of sports drinks for 75 to 90 minutes in order to simulate the effect of sipping the beverages over the course of the day. Afterwards, the teeth showed evidence of erosive tooth wear, caused when acids eat away the hard enamel coating and penetrate the bone-like material underneath. The condition is believed to afflict one in 15 Americans.

Dr. Mark Wolff, chairman of the department of cariology and comprehensive care at New York University College of Dentistry, who led the study, offered this advice: “To prevent tooth erosion, consume sports drinks in moderation, and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth, to allow softened enamel to re-harden. If you frequently consume sports drinks,” Dr. Wolff added, “ask your dentist if you should use an acid-neutralizing remineralizing toothpaste to help re-harden soft enamel.”

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Tags: acid, erosive tooth wear, sports drinks, tooth decay