The etiology of sports-drink induced caries is multifactorial. That's why it is hard to find hard and fast results from any study as a majority of them are evaluating a single variable. But the worst possible combination of factors is combined in high-performance athletes who share the genetic complex for poor mineralization and remineralization. Add in dehydration, oral friction, low pH, lack of a salivary buffer, and soluble carbs destroy teeth via erosion, not frank cavities due to bacterial involvement.
The least effective dental health strategy for ongoing, long interval training is to forgo energy sources high in carbohydrates and low pH. The better stategy is to use of them, followed by neutralization and remineralization post-ride. Neutralization occurs when the salivary buffer is restored, or the low-pH environment is counteracted with, surprisingly, water, or the stimulation of salivary flow via gum chewing. Remineralization comes in the form of "liquid calcium" buffering and amorphous CaPO4 found in a number of toothpastes or oral rinses.
Here's an interesting research piece:
Adding casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate to sports drinks to eliminate in vitro erosion.
Pediatr Dent. 2005 Jan-Feb;27(1):61-7
Ramalingam L, Messer LB, Reynolds EC
School of Dental Science, and honorary dental officer, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
PURPOSE: Enamel erosion can occur with frequent consumption of sports drinks. The purpose of this study was to determine a minimal concentration of casein phosphopeptide-stabilized amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) which when added to a sports drink would eliminate such erosion in vitro. METHODS: Human enamel specimens were immersed in: (1) the sports drink Powerade; (2) Poweradeplus 4 concentrations of CPP-ACP (0.063%, 0.09%, 0.125%, 0.25%); or (3) double deionized water. Windows of test and control enamel were profiled, and the enamel surface characteristics were examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: The pH of test solutions increased and the titratable acidity decreased with increasing CPP-ACP concentrations. Erosive step lesions occurred in specimens immersed in Powerade (mean depth=38.70kA +/- 5.60), which were eliminated by the addition of CPP-ACP to Powerade at all test concentrations except 0.063% CPP-ACP. Microscopic surface irregularities on test enamel were observed, apparent as adherent granules or globules. These may represent redeposited mineral phases following mobilization of calcium and phosphate from CPP-ACP. Tasters in a taste panel could not distinguish Powerade from Powerade plus 0.125% CPP-ACP. CONCLUSIONS: Adding casein phosphopeptide-stabilized amorphous calcium phosphate to the sports drink Powerade significantly reduced the beverage's erosivity without affecting the product's taste.