You can’t go through a day without hearing notifications about how drinking water is important for our health. Our doctors talk about it; there are notices at the gym, and even TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms are inundated with these notifications. However, TikTok has suggested that there may be a way around having to drink “boring” old water. This supposed solution? Drinking calorie-free flavored sparkling water. On the surface, this may sound harmless enough, but it’s fraught with dangers to your oral health. How can calorie-free flavored water present a risk to your oral health? The team at Dickey Dental is here to let you in on this regrettable secret of the sparkling water trend.
The Hidden Dangers Of Sparkling Water
That sparkling sensation as you drink that flavored water is pleasant; there’s no argument there. However, within that seemingly innocuous beverage are hidden a number of surprising threats. The most prominent threat is actually from the bubbles themselves. That’s right, the carbonation you enjoy is secretly leading the attack on your teeth. You see when carbon dioxide is infused into the water in the process we know as carbonation, there’s a secondary effect we rarely discuss. This process also leads to the formation of carbonic acid, which poses a notable threat to our teeth.
Normal water is neutral on the pH scale, being neither acid nor base. However, when you add carbonic acid to the mix, its pH rises to 3.0. While it’s true that this isn’t terribly high in terms of acidity, it’s enough to begin softening your enamel. When your enamel is softened, it increases the risk of erosion from eating, bacterial activity, and more. This means even if you’re consuming nothing other than your carbonic acid water, you’re still going to be experiencing health risks for your teeth. While sparkling water is better than sweetened coffee, sugary soda, sweet tea, and other sugary beverages, you still have to be careful with it. If you can’t abandon that sparkly fizz (we get it, promise), then there are other things you can do to help mitigate the damages.
- Rinsing – Following each sip of your sparkling water, drink clean, unaltered water. This will help reduce the impact of the acid from your sparkling water and continue to help keep you hydrated. You could also mix in some of that flavoring with regular water and reduce your risk of being impacted by carbonic acid.
- Mix It Up – The best solution that still includes drinking sparkling water is alternating between it and fresh, clean water. One glass of normal water between each glass of sparkling water will go a long way to preserving your enamel and avoiding damage from carbonic acid.
Learn More About Tooth Healthy Hydration from Dickey Dental
If your goal is to maintain good hydration without impacting your oral health or gaining weight, contact our offices today. We’ll be able to introduce you to a variety of options for hydrating while protecting your teeth. Call (803) 329-2126 or visit our office in Rock Hill, SC!
