The pH and titration values of commonly used beverages in Trinidad: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The erosion of tooth structure caused by exposure to acidic environment can be described as a chronic noncommunicable degenerating disease. This occurs when drinks and citrus fruits that are acidic are used over a prolonged period of time. Materials and Methods: The most popular drinks consumed in Trinidad and Tobago were determined from data collected using questionnaires. Data were collected from grocery stores, pharmacies, and minimarts. We also measured the pH of four categories of the most popular drinks, namely water, carbonated nonalcoholic “soft drinks,” juices, and alcoholic beverages. The pH was determined from repeated measures using a calibrated pH meter and the acid content by titrimetric analysis. Results: The results found that all the beverages were acidic varying from pH 2.26 to 5.74. The lowest average pH readings were for Coke and Sprite, 2.26 and 2.94, respectively. The juices followed by the alcoholic drinks were still acidic and even the Dasani water recorded an average pH of 4.83, all under the critical pH of 5.5. Titration found that the acidic content was lower than the pH recorded. Conclusions: It was found that soft drinks, juices, and alcoholic beverages were mostly very acidic. As there is an ever-increasing production of beverages, notable energy drinks, there should be a more comprehensive measure of the acidity across all categories of drinks consumed. It would certainly be in the public health interest if there are labels with some information with the pH and the erosive potential of consuming acidic drinks.