Sour sweets: a new type of erosive challenge?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the erosive potential of a number of commercially available sour sweets in the laboratory.

METHODS

The erosive potential was assessed by measuring the pH, neutralisable acidity and ability to erode permanent and deciduous enamel. These parameters were compared to those of an orange juice positive control.

RESULTS

The pH of the sour sweets ranged from 2.30-3.14 with their neutralisable acidity ranging from 9.78-66.9 ml of 0.1M NaOH. The amount of permanent enamel removed following one hour immersion in the drinks ranged from 2.16-10.88 microm and from 1.02-18.34 microm for deciduous enamel. In comparison, the orange juice (Tropicana smooth) control had a pH of 3.86, a neutralisable acidity of 37.1 ml of 0.1M NaOH and removed 5.23 microm of permanent enamel and 6.27 microm of deciduous enamel.

CONCLUSION

All the sour sweets tested were found to be erosive, some more so than orange juice. This information will be of use to clinicians when counseling younger patients with tooth surface loss.