Most sparkling water do not contain added sugars and have become a popular replacement from the sugar-riddled sodas. A recent trend has spiked among the cool, young moms giving their infants sparkling water due to the lack of sugar. Is this wise? Does sparkling water cause cavities in infants and adults? Is this the safest type of drink to avoid cavities?
What Is Sparkling Water?
Bubly, LaCroix, Soleil, Sparkling Ice, Spindrift, Waterloo, etc. are carbonated water often with minimal ingredients, usually just natural flavoring, though few do contain non-sugar sweeteners like aspartame. Several of these drinks claim "There is no scientific evidence that sparkling waters are no more acidic or damaging to the teeth than regular water.” but we refute that.
Pros of Sparkling Water
Nearly all sparkling waters are sugar free or contain less than 1 sugar cube per can.
Sparkling water with zero flavoring is not as acidic [5.25 pH].
Being that they practically have no sugar, the drink does not adhere to your teeth as aggressively as regular sodas do, which causes less potential for cavities.
Cons of Sparkling Water
Any flavored sparkling water is just as acidic as soda regardless of the lack of sugar.
Acidic beverages still lead to cavities though a Harvard study says these drinks are less aggressive in causing cavities than soda.
Instead of sugar some sparkling waters contain sweeteners like aspartame (store brands like Signature and Clear American) or sucralose (Sparkling Ice). These sweeteners cause a metallic taste and lingering bad breath.
All sparkling waters fall under that 5.5pH zone that cause cavities.
Tips
Children ages 0-6 months should only drink water or milk, that's it
Drinking sparkling water at meal times causes less potential for cavities
After drinking sparkling water (or any other flavored drinks) finish with a drink of water
Drink through a straw to allow less contact on your teeth
Regular water is still the best beverage to drink.
This video echoes our findings:
Conclusion
Sparkling drinks are great because most do not contain any sugar. However, they're just as acidic as sodas so treat sparkling drinks as such. Drink during meals, consider a straw, or just drink water.
Beverage | pH | Sweetener Added |
Bubbly Orange Cream | 3.2 | NONE |
Bubly BlackBerry | 3.31 | NONE |
Bubly Cherry | 3.33 | NONE |
Bubly Grapefruit | 2.99 | NONE |
Bubly Lime | 3.07 | NONE |
Bubly Mango | 3.35 | NONE |
Bubly Pineapple | 3.04 | NONE |
Bubly Raspberry | 2.94 | NONE |
Bubly Strawberry | 3.28 | NONE |
Chi Forest White Peach | 2.42 | Sucralose |
Clear American Black Cherry | 2.89 | Aspartame |
Clear American Blue Raspberry | 2.63 | Aspartame |
Clear American Fuji Apple | 2.66 | Aspartame |
Clear American Key Lime | 3.02 | Aspartame |
Clear American Limeade | 2.46 | Aspartame |
Clear American Mandarin Orange | 2.21 | Aspartame |
Clear American Orange & Cream | 2.51 | Aspartame |
Clear American Peach | 2.95 | Aspartame |
Clear American Strawberry | 2.94 | Aspartame |
Clear American Tangerine Mango | 2.62 | Aspartame |
Clear American White Grape | 2.98 | Aspartame |
Clear American Wild Cherry | 2.24 | Aspartame |
LaCroix Berry | 4.83 | NONE |
LaCroix Coconut | 2.67 | NONE |
LaCroix Guava São Paulo | 3.73 | NONE |
LaCroix Keylime | 3.9 | NONE |
LaCroix Lemon | 3.87 | NONE |
LaCroix Lime | 3.05 | NONE |
LaCroix Limon Cello | 3.84 | NONE |
LaCroix Orange | 3.51 | NONE |
LaCroix Pamplemousse | 3.82 | NONE |
LaCroix Passionfruit | 3 | NONE |
LaCroix Pure | 4.8 | NONE |
LaCroix Razz-Cranberry | 3.21 | NONE |
LaCroix Tangerine | 3.85 | NONE |
Perrier carbonated mineral water | 5.25 | NONE |
Polar Black Cherry | 3.56 | NONE |
Polar Blueberry Lemonade | 3 | NONE |
Polar Cranberry Clementine | 3 | NONE |
Polar Cranberry Lime | 3 | NONE |
Polar Georgia Peach | 3 | NONE |
Polar Ginger Lime Mule | 3 | NONE |
Polar Lemon | 3 | NONE |
Polar Lime | 3.57 | NONE |
Polar Mandarin | 3.56 | NONE |
Polar Orange Vanilla | 3 | NONE |
Polar Original | 3 | NONE |
Polar Pineapple Pomelo | 3 | NONE |
Polar Pink Apple & Lemon | 3 | NONE |
Polar Pomegranate | 3 | NONE |
Polar Raspberry Lime | 3.64 | NONE |
Polar Ruby Red Grapefruit | 3 | NONE |
Polar Strawberry Watermelon | 3 | NONE |
Polar Toasted Coconut | 3 | NONE |
Polar Triple Berry | 3 | NONE |
Polar Vanilla | 3 | NONE |
S. Pelligrino Sparkling Water | 4.82 | NONE |
Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rosa | 2.81 | Sugar |
Sanpellegrino Limonata | 2.28 | Sugar |
Sanpellegrino Melograno & Arancia | 2.51 | Sugar |
Signature Selection Cranberry Raspberry | 3.04 | Aspartame |
Signature Selection Peache Crème | 3.04 | Aspartame |
Signature Selection Raspberry Blackberry | 2.84 | Aspartame |
Signature Selection Strawberry Crème | 2.64 | Aspartame |
Soleil Black Cherry | 3.74 | NONE |
Soleil Blood Orange | 3.69 | NONE |
Soleil Cherry | 3.26 | NONE |
Soleil Cranberry Hibiscus | 3.18 | NONE |
Soleil Ginger Mule | 3.77 | NONE |
Soleil Grapefruit | 3.7 | NONE |
Soleil Lemon | 3.7 | NONE |
Soleil Lime Margarita | 3.87 | NONE |
Soleil Mint Mojito | 3.76 | NONE |
Soleil Pineapple | 3.54 | NONE |
Sparkling Ice Black Cherry | 2.65 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Black Raspberry | 2.54 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Cherry Limeade | 2.23 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade | 2.78 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Coconut Pineapple | 2.94 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Fruit Punch | 2.46 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Grape Raspberry | 2.69 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Kiwi Strawberry | 2.66 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime | 2.7 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Orange Mango | 2.64 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Peach Nectarine | 2.66 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Pink Grapefruit | 2.9 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Starburst Lemon | 2.51 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Starburst Orange | 2.4 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Starbust Cherry | 2.4 | Sucralose |
Sparkling Ice Strawberry Watermelon | 2.77 | Sucralose |
Spindrift Grapefruit | 2.56 | NONE |
Spindrift Lemon | 2.41 | NONE |
Spindrift Peach Strawberry | 2.21 | NONE |
Spindrift Raspberry Lime | 2.66 | NONE |
Swoon Barbie-Pink Lemonade | 2.29 | NONE |
Swoon Lemonade | 2.36 | NONE |
Waterloo Black Cherry | 3.34 | NONE |
Waterloo Blackberry Lemonade | 3.7 | NONE |
Waterloo Cherry Limeade | 4.5 | NONE |
Waterloo Cranberry | 3 | NONE |
Waterloo Ginger Twist Citrus | 3.48 | NONE |
Waterloo Grape | 4.5 | NONE |
Waterloo Lemon-Lime | 3.7 | NONE |
Waterloo Orange Vanilla | 4.5 | NONE |
Waterloo Peach | 4.5 | NONE |
Waterloo Pineapple | 4.5 | NONE |
Waterloo Spiced Apple | 3.52 | NONE |
Waterloo Strawberry | 3.4 | NONE |
Waterloo Summer Berry | 4.5 | NONE |
Waterloo Watermelon | 3.7 | NONE |