The bright bottles in the cooler look like part of the uniform. Most kids would pick one over water every time. For almost every practice and every game, water is the better choice, for their bodies and for their teeth.

What pediatricians say

The American Academy of Pediatrics calls water the best drink for active children. For most kids and most activity, sports drinks offer no advantage over water. They start to help when a child is working hard for more than an hour, and even then the advice is to swap in one sports drink an hour, not to replace water.

Energy drinks are a different thing altogether. Pediatricians say children should not have them at all.

What it does to teeth

Sports drinks carry sugar and acid. The sugar feeds the germs that cause cavities, and the acid softens the outer layer of the tooth, the enamel. Sipping a bottle slowly through a whole practice keeps teeth bathed in both for an hour or more.

How much water

• Before: about 16 ounces, a regular water bottle, a couple of hours before the game.
• During: a few big gulps every 15 minutes, about 4 to 8 ounces, even if they do not feel thirsty.
• After: keep drinking. Water with the snack, not soda.

If your child does have a sports drink

• Save it for long, hard sessions: a tournament day, a hot afternoon, a practice over an hour.
• Drink it, then put it away, rather than sipping for hours.
• Follow it with water, and swish. Rinsing with water, or a glass of milk or a piece of cheese, helps calm the acid.

At a Smile Sports camp

Water is what we hand out, and the Wellness Station is where children learn why. It is also one of our sample quiz questions. Can your child answer it?

Join the camp list and we will email you when registration opens. Camps are free.

This guide is general information. Your child’s doctor and dentist know them best. Sources: HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), Choose Water for Healthy Hydration · American Academy of Pediatrics, Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents (2011) · MouthHealthy (American Dental Association), Dietary Acids and Your Teeth

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