The Surprising Reason Your Flavored Water Might Not Be Good for You

• Drinking flavored sparkling water might make your teeth more susceptible to cavities, dentists say.

• The bubbles and the flavoring make the drinks more acidic, which can erode your tooth enamel.

• But sparkling drinks are less acidic than sodas, so you're OK as long as you drink them in moderation.

You may have sworn off your Coke and Diet Coke addictions for the good of your health. But if you have switched your bubbly of choice to flavored waters like La Croix, you might not be making such a great health decision, either.

The Food Network talked to Dr. Edmond R. Hewlett, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association, and he said that drinking a ton of flavored water might erode your tooth enamel. Though there's not a ton of research yet about the effects of flavored waters, drinks like this are acidic, just like sodas are. So the added flavors are acidic, and acidic drinks can cause your tooth enamel to erode. When your enamel erodes, that makes your teeth more sensitive to temperature and even more susceptible to cavities, the The Washington Post notes.

According to the Today show, carbonated water, even if it's unflavored, is also acidic because your mouth turns the carbon dioxide bubbles into carbonic acid. And if you add lemon or lime to your sparkling water, that makes it even more acidic. But both sparkling and flavored waters are not as acidic as sodas, so you're safe to drink a little of the stuff, as long as it's in moderation.

Dr. Hewlett advised to minimize the amount of time the flavored water is touching your teeth. That means it's safer to chug than to slowly sip throughout the day, stick to the stuff during meals and not without food, and don't hold the water in your mouth before you swallow. And of course, make sure you're drinking regular, non-flavored 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."

Follow Delish on Instagram.