First Published:
11:11 AM PDT, June 23, 2022
The latest TikTok trend has been dubbed “healthy coke,” but dentists are sounding the alarm about its potentially caustic effects on your precious pearly whites.
The concoction — sparkling water and a splash of balsamic vinegar over ice — was started by Amanda Jones. She said her pilates instructor recommended it as a healthier alternative to real coke.
Soon, everyone was trying it, including “Today” hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager and Italian chef Giada De Laurentiis. Taste tests were decidedly mixed.
But now comes a serious warning from the American Dental Association that it should be called “unhealthy coke.” The ADA says “frequent consumption” of the drink can cause “tooth erosion.”
“I would not recommend doing this on a regular basis,” New York City dentist Dr. Brain Kantor said.
Kantor says the so-called “healthy” version could actually do more damage to your teeth than regular soda.
“Having both balsamic vinegar, which is highly acidic, and having a soda water, which is also acidic — having two different ingredients that are very acidic is not great for your teeth,” Kantor said.
