ANALYSIS OF PH, TOTAL SOLUBLE SOLIDS AND MICROSTRUCTURAL CHANGES IN ENAMEL PROMOTED BY COLA-ADDEDSOFT DRINKS

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the pH, the amount of total soluble solids (TSS) of different commercial presentations of soft drinks (A - Coke®; B – Coke Zero®, C - Diet Coke®), and the microstructural changes promoted by these soft drinks in the adamantine structure. Materials and Methods: The pH evaluation was performed by a digital pH meter (Quimis®) by running three measurements for each sample, and the final pH was obtained by calculating the average of these values. For SST (°Brix) quantification, 4 drops of each product were used to acquire the °Brix values, which were determined by a refractometer (Atago®) with a read range of 0~32%.Means of three measurements were obtained for each product. Bovine enamel blocks were exposed to soft drinks for 5 minutes and then prepared and analyzed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results: The values of pH and TSS (mean and standard deviation) for the samples were, respectively: A - 2.54 (± 0.03); 9.47% (± 1.29%); B - 2.88 (± 0.04); 0.0% (± 0.0%); C - 3.10 (± 0.03); 0.0% (± 0.0%). The micrographs showed dissolution on the edgesof enamel prisms, as well as loss of surface integrity. Conclusion: The soft drinks analyzed showederosive potential, promoting changes in the adamantine microstructure, which can be explained due to the low pH of the drinks. Only Coke® showed cariogenic potential, given the presence of SST. DESCRIPTORS: Tooth Erosion. Dental Enamel. Drinking. Diet Cariogenic.