Scientists reveal what sparkling water really does to your teeth

Unsweetened sparkling water may be a better option for teeth than sugar-sweetened soda, according to preliminary research comparing how several popular drinks affect acidity in the mouth.

Tooth enamel can begin to dissolve when the mouth’s pH falls below about 5.5. The new findings suggest that sparkling water can temporarily lower oral pH, but the effect appears to be less pronounced than the drop caused by soda.

Previous research has shown that sugar-sweetened soda can promote dental erosion by pushing mouth pH below 5.5. Far less is known about how unsweetened sparkling water influences acidity inside the mouth.

To investigate, researchers tested sugar-sweetened soda, regular sparkling water, calcium-fortified sparkling water, and plain water in 20 adults. Every participant drank each beverage, and the researchers measured salivary pH to observe how the mouth responded immediately after each drink was consumed.

Soda produced the greatest increase in mouth acidity. Salivary pH was significantly lower after soda than after water at both two minutes and 20 minutes following consumption. With both types of sparkling water, pH had returned to nearly its starting level within 20 minutes.

Wajiha Zulfiqar, a graduate student at Purdue University, said: “Our results suggest that replacing sugar-sweetened sodas with unsweetened sparkling water may help lower the risk of enamel erosion”.

The team next plans to examine the long-term effects of sparkling water on oral health.

Zulfiqar presented the results at NUTRITION 2026, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. The findings should be regarded as preliminary until they appear in a peer-reviewed publication.

From: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260727012126.htm.