Sparkling water may not reach pH threshold
A new study has found that sparkling water may only briefly lower the pH of the oral cavity, according to a news article from Oral Health.
In a preliminary study presented at the NUTRITION 2026 annual meeting, researchers analyzed the pH dynamics of unsweetened sparkling water with or without calcium compared with sugar-sweetened soda and plain water in vitro and in vivo. After testing the pH of the three beverages at zero, two, five, 10 and 20 minutes after opening, the researchers then assigned 12 participants to consume the beverages over a period of 10 minutes and collected saliva samples at baseline, during consumption, at the end of consumption and at 20 minutes.
The researchers noted that the sugar-sweetened soda exhibited the lowest pH and created the most acidic oral environment compared with unsweetened sparkling water and plain water. Unsweetened sparkling water demonstrated comparable pH levels to plain water at all timepoints except at two minutes for sparkling water without calcium and at five minutes for calcium-fortified sparkling water, when those who consumed unsweetened sparkling water had a lower salivary pH.
Further, none of the beverages included in the study reduced the salivary pH below the 5.5 threshold at which enamel erosion begins to occur. Because unsweetened sparkling water was found to only temporarily decrease the pH of the mouth, it may pose little risk to the enamel and could be a lower-risk alternative to sugar-sweetened sodas and other beverages.
Nonetheless, the researchers cautioned that the short-term nature of the study prevented them from measuring enamel erosion over time. As a result of the findings, they suggested that unsweetened sparkling water may be safe to consume infrequently. The researchers plan to explore the longer-term effects of sparkling water in future studies.
Read more: Oral Health
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