Carbonated water can be harmful to teeth as it contains more acids, such as phosphoric and citric, than still water. However, most dentists would say that the real problem is carbonated soft drinks - fizzy sweet drinks, mainly - and what is much more harmful than the carbonising process is the sugar in these drinks. Even diet versions aren't regarded as healthy for your teeth.

There is much more sugar in soft drinks than we generally realize - you can see some of the figures here. Other effects of consming too many soft drinks include weight gain, and there are reports of more serious illnesses.

Some health professionals are also concerned that people who consume a lot of sweet soft drinks, especially from early childhood, are not only failing to consume healthier products, such as fruit, but end up getting such a taste for artificially flavoured and very sweet foods and drinks that they no longer choose natural foods, as they become unable to taste them.