The erosive potential of some alcopops using bovine enamel: An in vitro study

Objectives

Alcoholic soft drinks have become increasingly popular and have high concentrations of citric acid and alcohol so might have the potential to cause dental erosion. This study aimed to investigate the erosive potential of alcopops on bovine enamel in vitro.

Methods

Six bovine upper incisors were prepared and sectioned to give six slabs per tooth, 4 mm × 4 mm each. Each slab was covered with nail varnish, leaving an exposed window (2 mm × 2 mm). Samples were immersed in 20 ml of each of the test solutions for 20 min, 1 h, and 24 h under gentle agitation (100 rpm). Enamel surface loss was determined using Quantitative Laser Fluorescence (QLF), Non-contact Profilometry (NCP) and Transverse Microradiography (TMR).

Results

Enamel loss occurred with all test drinks and the positive control (p < 0.05), and the depth of lesion correlated with pH and time. No significant difference was observed between 20 min and 1 h exposure, although both times had significantly (p < 0.05) greater erosion when compared with baseline. Within each alcopops group significant erosion had occurred at 24 h exposure compared with the baseline and previous times.

Conclusion

All the tested alcopops resulted in significant enamel loss at 24 h (p < 0.001) with direct correlation between degree of enamel loss and both pH and increasing exposure time.