Study tempers TikTok’s “Healthier Coke” hype

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USA: New research sheds light on TikTok’s latest viral hype known as the “healthy Coke alternative”.

Published in the online journal JADA Foundational Science, the new research finds acids in sugar-free beverages could erode tooth enamel. The findings were published against the backdrop of an ongoing viral trend on the TikTok social media platform.

The recipe of the so-called “healthier” alternative to Coca-Cola – that involves adding balsamic vinegar (an acid) to sparkling water (an acidic beverage) – has received more than 6.3 million views.

According to the study the acidic foods and beverages can erode the enamel and cause cavities or infection. In addition to tooth erosion and discoloration, the wearing down of the enamel also risk exposing the dentin layer.

In the study, researchers were comparing the causes and extent of dental erosion between non-carbonated bottled water, flavored sparkling water and plain sparkling water. The researchers soaked recently extracted human teeth in 7 different sugar-free beverages – and one soda with sugar for comparison – to determine which, if any, beverages caused erosion. In order to simulate a year’s worth of exposure to these beverages, the teeth were exposed for twenty-four hours to the beverages.

The study comparing soda with sugar versus sugar-free soda found acids in both caused enamel erosion.

Erosion was also observed in flavored sparkling waters, although less than that found in sugar containing and sugar-free soda. They also found the only beverages that did not cause enamel erosion were non-carbonated, non-flavored bottled waters.

Commenting on the viral video, Dr Edmond Hewlett, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association, publisher of the JADA Foundational Science journal, said: “I love balsamic vinegar, but I enjoy it more on my salad than in my drinking glass. It’s much kinder to the teeth than bathing them in a beverage blend of two acids.

“The more acidic the drink, the greater the risk of tooth erosion with frequent consumption.”