Investigation of the erosive potential of sour novelty sweets

Provides a background about the link between acidic beverages and dental erosion. Discusses the potential risk of developing dental erosion upon the frequent consumption of novelty sweets. Provides information which could be used by dental personnel in counselling patients who consume novelty sweets or at risk of developing dental erosion. Abstract Background The expansion of the novelty sweets market in the UK has major potential public health implications in children and young adults as they may cause dental erosion. Objective To investigate the erosive potential of the novelty sweets in term of their physiochemical properties and amount of enamel loss. Subjects and methods The pH of a variety of novelty sweets was tested in vitro using a pH meter and the neutralisable acidity was assessed by titrating the sweets against 0.1M NaOH. The viscosity of the novelty sweets was measured using a rotational viscometer. The wettability of enamel by each sweet was measured using dynamic contact angle analyser. Enamel loss was assessed using contact profilometry. Results The pH ranged from 1.8–3.2, the neutralisable acidity ranged from 9–201 ml of 0.1 NaOH. The viscosity of the novelty sweets that come in liquid form ranged from 2–594 mPa s. The surface enamel erosion ranged from 1.95–15.77 μm and from 2.5–17.6 μm with and without immersing in saliva for 1 hour before immersing in acidic solution respectively. The amount of subsurface enamel loss was ranged from 0.75 to 2.3 μm following ultrasonication at 0 min of acidic attack and from 0.23 to 0.85 μm at 60 minutes of acidic attack while immersed in saliva. The contact angle between enamel surface and four sweet was less than the angle formed between the orange juice and the enamel which caused more wettability of enamel. Conclusion The pH is lower than the critical value for enamel erosion (5.5), high neutralisable acidity and high sugar content strongly suggest that these sweets may cause significant amount of dental erosion clinically. In addition, the degree of wettability of enamel by solution is an important factor to consider in determining the enamel loss caused by acidic solution. Immediate tooth brushing would cause further enamel loss as a result of the mechanical removal of softened enamel. However, it has been suggested that postponing brushing after erosive attack should be reconsidered

Comparison of the rermineralisation effect of a glass ionomer cement versus a resin composite on dentin of primary teeth

WOS: 000337551700006PubMed ID: 25102459Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of a high viscosity glass ionomer cement (G/C) and a composite resin with caries affected dentin and to determine the remineralization levels. Materials and Methods In a split Mouth deSign 24 GIC and composite resin atraumatic restorative treatment restorations were made in vivo and the teeth were collected after 2 years and subsequently settioned and examined using Vickers microhardness test; the latter was performed starting from the dentin surfate adjacent to the restoration. Repeated Measure ANOVA and Bonferroni Statistical methods were used for data analysis. Results The micrdhardness adjacent to the GIC reStorative material resulted tube significantly higher. Conclusion GIC resulted to be a better restorative material for the remineralization of caries affected dentin, though further studies are necessary for the corroboration of this finding. The GIC restored primary molar dentin had a higher level of remineralizatiOn and GIC could be the material of chdice in pediatric dentistry

In vitro evaluation of the erosive potential of viscosity-modified soft acidic drinks on enamel

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of viscosity-modified soft acidic drinks on enamel erosion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 108 bovine enamel samples (∅ = 3 mm) were embedded in acrylic resin and allocated into six groups (n = 18). Soft acidic drinks (orange juice, Coca-Cola, Sprite) were used both in their regular forms and at a kinetic viscositiy of 5 mm(2)/s, which was adjusted by adding hydroxypropyl cellulose. All solutions were pumped over the enamel surface from a reservoir with a drop rate of 3 ml/min. Each specimen was eroded for 10 min at 20 °C. Erosion of enamel surfaces was measured using profilometry. Data were analyzed using independent t tests and one-way ANOVAs (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Enamel loss was significantly higher for the regular (Coca-Cola, 5.60 ± 1.04 μm; Sprite, 5.49 ± 0.94 μm; orange juice, 1.35 ± 0.4 μm) than for the viscosity-modified drinks (Coca-Cola, 4.90 ± 0.34 μm; Sprite, 4.46 ± 0.39 μm; orange juice, 1.10 ± 0.22 μm). CONCLUSION: For both regular and viscosity-modified forms, Coca-Cola and Sprite caused higher enamel loss than orange juice. Increasing the viscosity of acidic soft drinks to 5 mm(2)/s reduced enamel erosion by 12.6-18.7 %. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The erosive potential of soft acidic drinks is not only dependent on various chemical properties but also on the viscosity of the acidic solution and can be reduced by viscosity modification