Comparison of acid clearance of noncarbonated and carbonated soft drinks in the mouth

The aim of this study was to measure differences in oral pH after subjects drank carbonated and noncarbonated acidic soft drinks. Oral pH was measured in 17 subjects at 4 oral sites with beetrode electrodes after each subject drank 50 mL of noncarbonated and carbonated blackcurrant beverages. There were no statistical differences for either beverage regarding the time taken to recover a pH of 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5. Oral pH recovered to 6.5 within 90 seconds with both drinks. The median lowest pH recorded after 30 seconds at the 4 sites for both drinks was > pH 4.9, but there was no statistical difference in the clearance between the drinks. The implication may be that carbonation is not directly responsible for the erosive potential of different beverages.