Here's What Happens When You Drink Sparkling Water Every Day

Sparkling water is all the rage these days. Case in point: SodaStream, which allows users to make their own sparkling water out of water from the tap, was sold to Pepsi in 2018 for $3.2 billion (via CNBC).

Plain sparkling water sales in the United States have jumped from $1.82 billion in 2015 to $2.74 billion in 2019 and are expected to continue to rise (via Statistica). Flavored sparkling water sales rose as well from $1.75 billion in 2015 to $3.05 billion in 2019. Many people guzzle sparkling water because it doesn't contain any calories or sweeteners like juice or sugar. But too much of anything can have an impact on health, even if it's something as innocuous as water. Here is a look at what will happen if you drink sparkling water every day.

Perhaps because drinking carbonated sodas is so destructive to the teeth, some people may wonder if drinking large amounts of sparkling water can cause problems for your enamel as well (via Healthline). According to the American Dental Association, although sparkling water has a higher content of acid than tap water or mineral water, it's not enough to pose a risk to your teeth (via Mouth Healthy). A study found that exposing teeth to both regular water and sparkling water had no discernible differences on the enamel. However, citrus-flavored sparkling waters contain higher levels of acid, which can begin to eat away at the enamel. If tangerine or lemon is your preferred flavor, try drinking it all in one sitting or with a meal so that you're not exposing your teeth to acid continuously with little sips throughout the day.

The good news for sparkling water drinkers is that the body doesn't discern the difference between carbonated water and non-carbonated water when it comes to hydration. According to an internal medicine doctor, "carbonated water is just as efficient at hydrating the body as plain spring or purified water" (via Scripps). Some have posited that the fizz of sparkling water entices them to drink more of it, thus improving overall hydration, while some think that the carbonation causes people to drink less than the amount of still water they'd normally consume (via Healthline). Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention actually recommends drinking sparkling water to make water "more exciting." 

A large intake of sparkling water is likely going to result in some changes when it comes to how much you burp. Drinking a large amount of sparkling water can sometimes make people feel bloated or gassy and the best way to deal with this problem — if you throw manners out the window — is by belching.

While this is a fairly innocuous effect, some people with stomach issues like Irritable Bowel Syndrome might find that carbonated water bothers the stomach. "If you have IBS [Irritable Bowel Syndrome], carbonated water can irritate your guts," Dr. Lina Velikova said. However, she also pointed out that if you don't have pre-existing stomach problems, carbonated water likely won't pose a problem. In fact, those who don't suffer from gastrointestinal issues may find that sparkling water is actually a good way to settle an occasional upset stomach.