Highly acidic pH values of carbonated sweet drinks, fruit juices, mineral waters and unregulated fluoride levels in oral care products and drinks in India: a public health concern

The Effect of Oral Care Foams and a Spray on Salivary pH Changes after Exposure to Acidic Beverages in Young Adults

Soft drinks may have a deleterious effect on dental health due to a high titratable acidity and a low pH that could be sufficient to induce tooth demineralization. The use of oral care products immediately after acidic challenge may diminish the erosive potential of soft drinks. We assessed the effect of oral care foams and a spray on salivary pH changes after exposure to Coca-Cola® in young adults. Thirty-three consenting eligible patients were recruited in this double-blind, randomized, crossover study performed in six visits. Baseline examination included unstimulated salivary flow rate, stimulated salivary buffer capacity, and the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S) assessment. Salivary pH and time for pH recovery were registered after exposure to Coca-Cola® alone or that followed by the application of each of the studied products (an oral foam containing hydroxyapatite and probiotics, an oral foam containing amino fluoride, an alkaline oral spray, and tap water). Thirty-two patients completed the entire study protocol and were included in the final analysis. The mean minimum salivary pH and the mean oral clearance rate after rinsing with Coca-Cola® were 6.3 and 27 min, respectively. Further rinsing with any one of the tested solutions, including tap water, resulted in a significant improvement in these parameters. When the pH curves were plotted, the oral care products demonstrated a lower area under the curve that differed significantly from the area under the curve for Coca-Cola®; tap water did not differ significantly from Coca-Cola® and oral care products. Minimum salivary pH correlated positively with salivary buffer capacity and salivation rate, while salivary clearance correlated with OHI-S plaque scores. In conclusion, the effect of oral care foams and a spray on minimum salivary pH and salivary clearance after exposure to Coca-Cola® did not differ significantly among the tested products and tap water. Trial registration NCT06148662. Funding: none.

Assessment of the Erosive Potential of Mineral Waters in Bovine Dental Enamel

Background:

High intake of acidic foods and beverages has been often associated with the onset of dental erosive wear.

Objetive:

This study in vitro assessed the pH of different mineral waters marketed in Brazil and their effects on the properties and surface of dental enamel.

Methods:

Forty-eight bovine incisor specimens were divided into four groups (n=12): CG-control group, PeG-Perrier, PrG-Prata, and SLG-São Lourenço. The immersion cycles were performed after analysis of the pH of the waters, for 5 days (5 minutes in mineral water and 60 minutes in artificial saliva). Knoop micro-hardness was assessed by means of three indentations with a load of 50kgf for 15 seconds, and surface roughness with a cut off of 0.25mm. The data were analysed using Student's t-test, ANOVA, and Tukey test, with a significance level of 5%.

Results:

The groups of waters with lower pH (Perrier® and São Lourenço®) exhibited a reduction in Knoop micro-hardness (p<0.0001) and an increase in surface roughness (p=0.04 and p=0.004, respectively). The Prata water group did not exhibit significant changes in Knoop micro-hardness (p=0.07) and surface roughness (p=0.26).

Conclusion:

Mineral waters with a pH below the critical value can lead to a reduction in surface hardness and roughness in the bovine enamel.

Taxation of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and its Impact on Dental Caries: A Narrative Review

Dental caries is one of the largest health concerns worldwide, and a key causative factor is excess sugar intake. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are one of the largest sources of added sugars, which significantly contribute to adverse oral and general health. To reduce SSB consumption and its consequent impact on health, including dental caries, several interventional measures have been implemented; sugar taxation is one such measure. This review aimed at understanding the current knowledge available regarding the effect of sugar taxation on dental caries. Accordingly, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched with relevant keywords and findings from the identified studies are discussed in this review article.