Why you should stop drinking sparkling water

If your health conscious you've probably cut Coke and other soft drinks from your life. But if you've started drinking sparkling water instead, you might not be making such a great health decision, either.

According to the Today show, drinking sparkling water can make your teeth more susceptible to cavities. This is because carbonated water is acidic (your mouth turns the carbon dioxide bubbles into carbonic acid), which can erode your tooth enamel.

What's even worse is adding lemon or lime to your sparkling water - it makes it even more acidic!

Dr. Edmond R. Hewlett, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association, advises patients to minimise the amount of time sparkling water is touching your teeth. He also suggested you drink sparkling water with meals and make sure you're drinking regular water throughout the day, every day, to stay hydrated.

"For an average, healthy person, carbonated, sugar-free beverages are not going to be a main cavity-causing factor," Delaware dentist Andrew Swiatowicz told The Atlantic. "If you are at all concerned, you can always dilute the carbonated water with regular water, or even just swish with regular water after."