ABSTRACT

　Researchers have reported that athletes have more dental caries than ordinary people. Though exercise-induced dry mouth, rehydration with large consumption of sports drink and food, and poor brushing of teeth are mentioned as causes for the higher risk of dental caries in athletes, the details remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of rehydration on salivary flow, pH and buffering capacity during ergometer exercise in healthy volunteer participants. Ten healthy volunteers (5 males and 5 females, Ave.22.4 yr old) performed bicycle ergometer exercise at 80% of the maximal heart rate for 30-min in the 4 conditions: 1) only a sports drink for rehydration, (Aquarius, Coca-Cola & Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) 2) sports drink for rehydration and gargling immediately after exercise, 3) sports drink diluted two times for rehydration, (diluted with mineral water; Evian, Danone Waters of Japan Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and 4) sports drink diluted two times for rehydration and gargling immediately after exercise. Participants consumed 150ml at one time, and received hydration four times in all. Paraffin-stimulated whole saliva samples were collected before, and right (0min), 30min and 60min after exercise to measure the salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity. The salivary flow was almost constant throughout the experiment. The salivary pH decreased after exercise in condition 1. The salivary buffering capacity decreased significantly after the exercise in conditions 1 and 2. Regarding the salivary flow, pH and buffering capacity, there were no significant differences between before and after exercise in conditions 3 and 4. From these results, it was suggested that adequate gargling immediately after taking a sports drink for rehydration in association with sports and exercise was effective in oral health.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.37/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE