Is it just me, or does an ice-cold can of sparkling water have magical thirst-quenching abilities? I swear it feels so much more refreshing than plain old regular water from the sink. Plus, having a few cans of the bubbly stuff on hand has definitely increased my water intake. But could my love of seltzer be hurting my teeth?
To find out more, I reached out to dentist Dr. Cerisa Moncayo, and if you’re sipping on a La Croix while you read this, you might want to put it down.
Dr. Moncayo explained that, unfortunately, sparkling water is not just like flat water when it comes to our dental health. “The carbonation in seltzer water 100% has effects on dental health. The primary effect is its demineralization of enamel. Anything carbonated gets its fizziness from carbonic acid, which quite literally erodes enamel away.”
I was super curious about why carbonation affects our teeth, and thankfully, Dr. Moncayo explained that, too. “Carbonic acid, or anything acidic, lowers the pH of our oral cavity. It’s like our mouth becomes a cup of acid, slowly dissolving our enamel away (at the microscopic level).”
By the numbers, still water has a neutral pH of about 7. Sparkling water comes in at around 5, and a sugary soda is highly acidic at 2.5. So, while sparkling water is not as bad for your teeth as soda, still water is the best choice for the health of your mouth.
She went on to say that weakened enamel can cause a variety of (likely expensive) issues with your teeth. “Enamel is our tooth’s outermost, protective structure. When tooth enamel is compromised it leads to a host of dental issues, like tooth decay (cavities), weakened teeth, or sensitivity.” (Basically, a bunch of stuff I don’t have a dental work budget to deal with right now.)
If you, like me, love the flavored stuff, those flavors might be making your seltzer of choice even more acidic. Dr. Moncayo says, “Flavors in seltzer water fall under a huge umbrella of ‘other’ ingredients which are not well regulated and can (and do!) certainly contribute to an acid attack on our enamel.” By the way, even if you like a fresh squeeze of lemon or lime in yours, that’s also making the pH more acidic.
So what’s a seltzer-lover to do? Dr. Moncayo offered a few tips that can help minimize damage to your teeth without giving up sparkling water:
First, she advises patients to “Swish flat water in between seltzers to neutralize the pH and protect from stains.”
Additionally, she recommends drinking sparkling water quickly rather than sipping over a long period to minimize the amount of time that your teeth are soaking in acid.
She also suggests, “Use a straw to minimize the amount of time your teeth are in direct contact with something acidic.”
And finally, “Read the label. Sugars, sugar alcohols, and flavoring can cause extra damage. When it comes to ingredients, less is more.”
Read more about sparkling water and your health here.