Overview
- The results, presented Monday at NUTRITION 2026, showed sugar-sweetened soda produced the largest and most prolonged drop in salivary pH compared with unsweetened sparkling water and plain water.
- In a within-subject crossover test, 20 adults each drank soda, regular sparkling water, calcium-fortified sparkling water and plain water so researchers could compare real-time mouth responses in the same people.
- Regular unsweetened sparkling water caused a brief pH dip about two minutes after drinking and calcium-fortified sparkling water caused a dip around five minutes, with both returning near baseline by 20 minutes.
- Short-term saliva restoration kept pH above the roughly 5.5 level where enamel begins to dissolve, but the study measured only immediate changes and did not assess repeated or long-term exposure.
- Because the findings are based on a small conference abstract that has not yet been peer reviewed, researchers plan longer-term studies to test lasting effects and the industry may consider reformulation to reduce erosive potential.