Millennial drinks: acidity, fluoride content, and enamel softening.

Area of Science:

• Dental Science
• Food Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Millennials commonly consume various beverages, including energy drinks, flavored sparkling water, and kombucha.
• The erosive potential of these beverages on tooth enamel is a growing concern.
• Understanding beverage acidity and fluoride content is crucial for oral health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acidity and fluoride content of popular millennial beverages.
• To assess the enamel-softening effects of these drinks in vitro.
• To compare the erosive potential of different beverage categories.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed 13 beverages for pH and fluoride concentration using a pH/ion meter and fluoride electrode.
• Measured Vickers hardness of extracted molars before and after 30-minute immersion in 4 representative beverages.
• Utilized two immersion protocols: beverage only and alternating between beverage and artificial saliva.

Main Results:

• Beverage pH ranged from 2.652 to 4.242, with statistically significant differences among all beverages.
• Fluoride concentrations varied from 0.0033 to 0.6045 ppm; differences were significant for most beverages (P < 0.001).
• Energy drinks and kombucha caused the most enamel softening, while root beer and flavored sparkling water showed less erosion.

Conclusions:

• All tested beverages were acidic (pH < 4.5), posing an erosive risk.
• Beverage acidity, fluoride content, and immersion method significantly influenced enamel softening.
• Consumers should be aware of the erosive potential of commonly consumed beverages to mitigate dental erosion.