Dentifrice detergent: its effect on human enamel.

A scanning and transmission electron microscope study has shown that human enamel specimens treated with a mild detergent solution exhibit etching of the enamel surface. The tooth surfaces subsequently show a greater susceptibility to the acid attack than samples treated with mineral acid alone. The evidence suggests that reevaluation of sodium dodecyl sulfate and similar detergents as components of commercially available dentifrice products may be necessary.