A patient who regularly consumes carbonated soft drinks (sodas) asks about the pH of these beverages. What is the approximate pH of most regular sodas?

Most carbonated soft drinks have a pH ranging from approximately 2.5 to 3.5, making them highly acidic. The primary acids in sodas are phosphoric acid (in colas) and citric acid (in fruit-flavored sodas). At pH 2.5, sodas are well below the critical pH of approximately 5.5 at which enamel begins to demineralize (the critical pH for enamel). Frequent soda consumption is a leading cause of dental erosion. pH 5.5 is the critical pH for enamel dissolution, not the pH of soda itself.