What does sparkling water do to your teeth?

In a world of delicious, dark sodas and black coffee, teeth can’t catch a break. Whether it’s candy, carbs or acid, they’re fighting tooth and tooth to retain enamel and fight off cavities. In this world, sparkling water, or seltzer, has emerged a hero. New research from the American Society of Nutrition outlines how seltzer water offers a friendlier face to teeth. Scientists examined acidity across different drinks, comparing unsweetened sparkling water to plain water, soda sweetened with sugar and calcium-enhanced sparkling water. Rather than measuring the acidity of the beverages, however, the team tested participants’ saliva to see how pH levels changed. Researchers said this method allowed for a “real-world” understanding of how our mouths act in direct response to the drinks. Soda, predictably, was the worst offender, leading to a decrease in salivary acid levels at both the two-minute and 20-minute mark. Unsweetened seltzer, by contrast, caused a temporary decline in salivary pH after two minutes — but was back to normal by the 20-minute mark. The seltzer enhanced with calcium didn’t cause a dip until the five-minute mark, and was also back up to standard levels after 20 minutes. Notably, scientists only looked at the short-term impacts of beverages on saliva. They plan to look at long-term effects next. In real life, factors like sugar content, teeth contact and how long it takes to consume a beverage all impact enamel over time. Still, unsweetened seltzer is a potentially compelling replacement for a bottle of pop. Just remember nothing replaces plain ol’ water.