Sparkling Water – Is It Tooth-Safe?

• Dr Alex Bratic (Dentist)
• 6 years ago

Today, everyone is aware of the hazards of soft-drinks, both those containing sugar and diet versions. We’ve also been reminded of the importance of drinking water.

Drinking water makes sense, as our bodies are approximately 60 per cent water (more in the brain and heart), and that water needs to be replaced.

Doctors tell us, in fact, that we should drink up to 2 litres of water daily. And because that can be boring, some of us choose to replace plain water with sparkling water.

But is sparkling water good for our teeth, or is it an enemy of tooth enamel, as some articles suggest?

At Alex Bratic Dental Care, we’re here to answer your questions!

How Could Sparkling Water Be Bad For Your Teeth?

The answer lies in an equation – H₂O(l) + CO₂(g) ⇌ H₂CO₃(aq). And don’t worry, we’re going to explain that!

Sparkling water contains carbon dioxide gas dissolved in regular water (this can occur naturally, or be done artificially. This creates carbonic acid, which gives the water its fizz. Theoretically, this higher acidity could create problems for the teeth.

Pure water is “neutral” on the pH scale, meaning it has a level of 7. Numbers below that are acidic. The pH of soft drinks is between 2 and 4, and fruit juices are usually about 3 to 5. Sparkling water normally measures between 3 and 6 depending on the brand of sparkling water. Your enamel, the hard protective outer layer of a tooth, can begin to dissolve if the pH level drops below 5.5. This means that some sparkling waters might have a dangerous acidity level.

So, in theory sparkling water could harm your teeth. But what do scientists say?

Scientists On Sparkling Water

A study in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry from the University of Birmingham hints that flavoured sparkling waters may have corrosive effects on teeth similar to orange juice (which is known to erode enamel). Lemon, lime, and grapefruit were the most erosive flavours as they add citric acid to the existing acid in the water. Importantly, it is the added flavours that seem to be most dangerous.

A study in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, however, showed that plain mineral water and most flavourless sparkling water do very little to damage teeth.

So what the science seems to say is that there is a small chance that sparkling water can have an adverse effect on your teeth, but even in the worst scenario this damage will be slight. It is worth noting that in most of the studies, teeth were submerged in sparkling water for extremely long periods of time, that would not be likely in real life. Sparkling water would need to be consumed over an extended period and stay in the mouth for a very long time to have any real adverse effect.

Finally, while sparkling water may slightly increase the acid level in your mouth, your saliva fights this effect. A normal saliva flow lowers the risk from carbonated water. Saliva neutralises and buffers some of the impacts of the acid.

But on the minor chance sparkling might do some damage to your smile, Alex Bratic Dental Care has some suggestions to protect your teeth.

Sparkling water is safe to drink regularly if you stick to a few simple rules:

• Read nutrition labels and stay away from sparkling water with added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
• Avoid drinking too much sparkling water with high amounts of citric acid added for flavouring if you can avoid them.
• Sparkling beverages like tonic water and some flavoured sparkling waters will have extra hidden ingredients, so read the ingredients lists carefully.
• Save your more acidic sparkling water for mealtimes and drink regular water in between.
• Use a straw when drinking – this keeps the acid away from the teeth
• Rinse or brush your teeth after drinking. If you brush, wait 30-40 minutes after drinking.
• Remember that adding citrus fruit to your sparkling water can raise acid levels and erode tooth enamel.
• Minimize the time carbonated water is in your mouth. Avoid holding it in your mouth or swishing it around before swallowing.
• Consider chewing Xylitol gum after drinking any acidic drink as Xylitol reduces acid levels.

If you’ve been sipping on carbonated water every day, you may want to schedule a comprehensive dental check up your Alex Bratic Dental Care to make sure that no damage has been done to your teeth.

Comfort, Convenience, and Excellent Care at Alex Bratic

Alex Bratic Dental Care in Beenleigh delivers the very best in dental services to patients of all ages. If you, your child, or a family member needs a smile fix or just a checkup, we’re here for you!

Alex Bratic Dental Care is located on City Road near the Pacific Motorway near Beenleigh Station, with convenient public transport nearby and free onsite parking.

Call (07) 3287 2627 or visit us at 113 City Road in Beenleigh.