Prediction of the erosive potential of some beverages.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the erosive potential of a beverage on human enamel can be predicted by examining the composition of the beverage. The buccal surfaces of 84 caries-free premolars were embedded in resin and polished flat. Two hundred micrometers of the enamel surface were removed. Then the slabs were divided into 14 groups and immersed for 20 min in commercially available beverages. Surface microhardness was measured before and after immersion. Further, the phosphate concentration, the fluoride concentration, the baseline pH as well as the titrated amount of base to raise the pH to 7.0 of each beverage were determined. Surface microhardness values after immersion were calculated with an equation derived in a recent study and compared with the values measured in this investigation. Apple juice showed the greatest significant decrease (p < 0.05) in surface microhardness, followed by Schweppes, Orangina and Grapefruit soft drink. The smallest decrease in surface microhardness that was significant resulted from Fendant and Isostar orange. The mean absolute deviation of the calculated to the effective erosion was 7.1%, it ranged between 14.6% (apple juice) and 1.6% (Fendant). The data suggest the possibility of predicting erosion caused by a beverage with an accuracy of 7%. This information can be of value in the prevention of dental erosion.