Erosive potential of Kombuchas: an in vitro study in an oral cavity simulator

Kombucha is a fermented, sweet and acidic beverage, belonging to the functional beverage market. This study aimed to evaluate the erosive potential of Kombucha against dental hard tissues using an erosion/abrasion (EA) cycling promoted by a new laboratory multifunctional oral cavity simulator (MOCS). This in vitro study used a preclinical simulator to evaluate surface loss (step height) in bovine enamel and dentin specimens. The study design comprised two brands of Kombucha commercially available in the Brazilian market (experiment 1, DÊVI Kombucha; experiment 2, Tao Kombucha), three groups (negative control/water; positive control/Coca-Cola; test group/Kombucha), and two teeth substrates (enamel and dentin), with nine specimens per group (108 in total). The EA cycling consisted of exposure 3x/day for 10 min to the solutions (0.25 mL/min); toothbrushing (abrasion) 2x/day with fluoridated dentifrice (NaF; 1100 ppm) and with a soft bristle toothbrush; constant flow of artificial saliva during the day (0.2 mL/min) and overnight (0.04 mL/min). After 5 days of EA cycling, dentin/enamel surface loss/step height was measured by optical profilometry. Regarding the tested Kombuchas, DÊVI induced less surface loss than Coca-Cola, whereas the surface loss induced by Tao and Coca-Cola was similar. All tested drinks induced greater surface loss than the negative control. Among the substrates, surface loss was lower in dentin. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the Kombuchas tested may have erosive potential causing significant loss of tooth structure. The regular consumption of Kombucha might expose dental hard tissues to an increased risk for erosive tooth wear.