The pH and Titratable Acidity of Still and Sparkling Flavored Waters: The Effects of Temperature and Storage Time

Abstract

Statement of the problem: Flavored waters have become increasingly popular in the Trinidadian retail market. There is a paucity of literature on the erosive potential of these products on dental hard tissue. Purpose: This study 1) evaluated the pH and titratable acidity of popular still and sparkling flavored waters in the Trinidadian marketplace and 2) evaluated the effect of time and temperature on pH and titratable acidity. Materials and methods: A calibrated pH meter was used to measure pH at baseline (T0), at one week of storage (T1) and at one month of storage (T2). Titratable acidity was determined using 0.1 M sodium hydroxide until a neutral pH of 7 was attained. Results: All tested flavors of both still and sparkling water demonstrated pH well below the critical pH of 5.5. Reduced temperature and time in storage caused varying degrees of change in both pH and titratable acidity. Generally, the largest changes in titratable acidity occurred for sparkling varieties of water. Conclusion: The still and sparkling flavors of water tested are potentially very erosive to dental hard tissue.