Introduction:

one of the main causes of the appearance of caries is the high content of sugars and carbohydrates in food and beverages; athletes frequently consume energy drinks which, according to the literature, are capable of damaging dental enamel, causing caries and even the loss of the dental organ.

Objective:

to determine the relationship between the consumption of energy drinks and the influence of caries in athletes in the city of Ambato.

Methods:

an observational, descriptive study was carried out with athletes of the Macará club. The universe and the sample coincided at the convenience of the authors, composed of 25 young people. Clinical histories were taken and data were extracted from the surveys prepared for their use and subsequent tabulation.

Results:

a high number of carious teeth was observed since 100 % of them consumed energy drinks at least three or more times a week, 52 % of them brushed their teeth once a day and 88 % of them did not know the secondary effects of their consumption at the oral level. Sixty percent of the young people visit the dentist once a year and 40 % visit twice a year.

Conclusions:

the consumption of energizers causes damage at the oral level due to the acid contents that weaken the enamel of the teeth, the sugar helps the growth of bacteria for the appearance of caries generally occurring in adolescents and in sportsmen and women who consume alcoholic beverages.

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