Enamel Solubility Potential of Commercially Available Soft Drinks and Fruit Juices in Ethiopia

Abstract

The enamel solubility potential of some soft drinks used in Ethiopia was assessed. The common consumed carbonated soft drinks, cola and non-cola, and fruit juices were selected. Their Initial PH was measure, upon opening their bottles. The volume of 1.0 M sodium hydroxide needed to raise the PH of 50 ml the drinks to the PH 5.5 and 7.0 were determined. For cola, non-cola and fruit juice drinks the PH range from 2.43 to 2.48, 2.74 to 3.19 and 3.12 to 3.75 respectively during before titration. All the tested soft drinks upon opening the bottle were found to be below the critical PH 5.5 for enamel dissolution. The volume of 1.0 M sodium hydroxide required to bring the drinks to PH 5.5 and 7.0 the mean ranges from 0.7 to 1.5 and 1.5 to 2.9 ml respectively. The highest volume of base were required in most non-cola drinks to neutralize its acidity whereas, lowest volume of base consumed in cola drinks during their lower initial PH. In this study concludes that all the tested soft drinks had significant erosion potential. The erosion potential of non–cola drinks was more than cola drinks and fruit juices. Clinicians can take advantage of this information when counselling patients with tooth surface loss.