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

The first transcriptome of Italian wall lizard, a new tool to infer about the Island Syndrome

Some insular lizards show a high degree of differentiation from their conspecific mainland populations, like Licosa island lizards, which are described as affected by Reversed Island Syndrome (RIS). In previous works, we demonstrated that some traits of RIS, as melanization, depend on a differential expression of gene encoding melanocortin receptors. To better understand the basis of syndrome, and providing raw data for future investigations, we generate the first de novo transcriptome of the Italian wall lizard. Comparing mainland and island transcriptomes, we link differences in life-traits to differential gene expression. Our results, taking together testis and brain sequences, generated 275,310 and 269,885 transcripts, 18,434 and 21,606 proteins in Gene Ontology annotation, for mainland and island respectively. Variant calling analysis identified about the same number of SNPs in island and mainland population. Instead, through a differential gene expression analysis we found some putative genes involved in syndrome more expressed in insular samples like Major Histocompatibility Complex class I, Immunoglobulins, Melanocortin 4 receptor, Neuropeptide Y and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Summary of:an <em>in vitro</em> investigation of the erosive potential of smoothies

Acidic drinks have long been recognised as an important extrinsic factor for the development of dental erosion. A high soft drink consumption is considered the major cause of the high prevalence of erosive wear in the younger population factor. However, it has been shown that besides soft drinks, a number of other frequently consumed acid-containing food products, such as sport drinks, energy drinks and acidic candy, have considerable erosive potential. In the present study, the authors demonstrate that fruit smoothies should be added to this growing list. Fruit smoothies are generally made only from pure fruits blended with 100% pure fruit juice. Therefore, they are considered healthy and several organisations have advocated the consumption of fruit smoothies. As a result, the consumption has risen dramatically. In the UK, the consumption increases 50% annually and currently 60% of the British parents give their children fruit smoothies. Considering the erosive potential of fruit smoothies their consumption gives cause for concern, especially with regard to children. Deciduous enamel seems more sensitive to erosion by low pH drinks,2 especially with increased frequency of consumption. In addition, exposure to acidic drinks at an early age may influence food preferences, which may lead to an increased consumption of acidic foods later in life.3 In addition to containing high amounts of acids, such as citric and malic acid, fruit smoothies also contain high levels of carbohydrate, which increases the risk of developing caries. The smoothies investigated in the present study had pH values between 5.1 and 5.4. These values are only slightly lower than the pH value of 5.5, generally considered the critical value below which enamel dissolves. Despite their relatively high pH values, immersion of extracted teeth in smoothies induced significant reductions in surface micro-hardness and induced loss of enamel as determined by profilometry. This may be related to the high titratable acidity of smoothies, which is much higher than the titratable acidity of non-fruit carbonated soft drinks. Fruit smoothies may have beneficial effects on general health, being a source of vitamins and other important nutrients. However, in view of their erosive and cariogenic potential, frequent consumption of smoothies should be discouraged. Therefore, the authors recommend that their consumption should be confined to mealtimes

Summary of: Are sugar-free confections really beneficial for dental health?

Substitution of sucrose in candy with sugar alcohol polyols appears beneficial for dental caries prevention. Many people believe that sugar-free also means ingestion of fewer calories.1 Restriction of calorie intake has a major role in the treatment of obesity. For people with weight problems, a statement that a candy is sugar-free might generate a false healthy image, as the polyols in the candy still generate 50-65% of calories from the same amount of sucrose. A sugar-free claim also does not necessarily mean that the product is tooth friendly. Many types of sugar-free candy contain organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid to develop a fresh sour taste. During consumption the acids will dissolve in saliva, decreasing the intra-oral pH from normal values of 6.7-7.4 to values well below 5.5, the pH-value generally adopted as the critical value below which hydroxyapatite dissolves. This risk seems especially present in solid hard candies such as lollipops and the so-called jawbreakers. These types of candy slowly melt in the mouth and consumption often takes more than 15 minutes. Some children even play a game to keep a jawbreaker in their mouth as long as possible. Consequently, the intra-oral pH may decrease for a long time to values between 4 and 4.5, a considerable risk for the development of dental erosion. Finally, exposure to low pH values may cause local irritation of the oral mucosa. This risk seems most prominent for candy sprays, which have very low pH values (1.9 to 2.3) and are applied directly on the oral mucosa

The erosive potential of candy sprays

Objective To determine the erosive potential of seven different commercially available candy sprays in vitro and in vivo. Material and methods The erosive potential was determined in vitro by measuring the pH and neutralisable acidity. The salivary pH and flow rate were measured in healthy volunteers after administration of a single dose of candy spray. Results Candy sprays have an extremely low pH (1.9-2.3) and a neutralisable acidity varying between 0.8-1.6 ml of 0.25M NaOH. In vivo, candy sprays induced a short-term 3.0 to 5.8-fold increase in salivary flow rate with a concomitant drop in salivary pH to values between 4.4 and 5.8. Conclusion All candy sprays tested have an erosive potential. This information is of use for clinicians counselling juvenile patients with dental erosion