Evaluation of acidity and total sugar content of children′s popular beverages and their effect on plaque pH

• Main Authors: Saeed S, Al-Tinawi M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2010-09-01
• Series: Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry
• Subjects: Beverages; dental caries; dental erosion; plaque pH
• Online Access: http://www.jisppd.com/article.asp?issn=0970-4388;year=2010;volume=28;issue=3;spage=189;epage=192;aulast=Saeed

<b>Background:</b> In the developing countries, dental caries has increased with the increased exposure to dietary sugars. There is no data on the cariogenicity and acidogenicity of popular beverages in the Syrian market. <b>Aims:</b> To investigate the endogenous pH, titratable acidity, and total sugar content of popular beverages (cola, orange juice, and full-fat milk), and assess plaque pH drop after consumption. <b>Settings and Design:</b> Twenty-five healthy children with a mean age of 11.8 &#177; 0.6 years were recruited for this single blinded study. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> The pH of beverages was measured by a digital pH meter and the titratable acidity was expressed as the volume of 0.1 N sodium hydroxide required to neutralize the beverage. The total sugar content was estimated using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Children rinsed with 15 mL of each of the beverages for 1 min. The controls used were 10&#x0025; sucrose and 10&#x0025; sorbitol solutions. The plaque pH was assessed before and after rinsing. <b>Statistical Analysis:</b> Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni test to assess minimum pH, maximum pH drop, and the area under curve. P value was set as 0.05. <b>Results:</b> Both cola and orange juice had a low pH and similar total sugar content in contrast to the high pH and low sugar content of milk. Cola and orange juice were not statistically different from 10&#x0025; sucrose (P &gt; 0.05), but different from 10&#x0025; sorbitol (P &lt; 0.05), in contrast to milk, for all the parameters studied. <b>Conclusion:</b> Cola and orange juice are cariogenic/acidogenic and frequent intake should be discouraged. A reasonable intake of unsweetened milk may be advised safely.