Milk Reverts the Effects of an Enamel Erosive but Healthy Diet

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the erosive effects of popular fruits and vegetables on enamel, and the potential counter effects of milks. Material and Methods: Ten popular fruits and vegetables were individually blended in a juicer to form a fruit or vegetable juice. The labial surfaces (three for each treatment group) were then immersed for thirty minutes in a fresh juice of one of ten products strawberry, spinach, pineapple, grapefruit, green pepper, pickle, orange, apple, tomato, and carrot. In a second experiment, human enamel was treated with Coca-Cola for 30 minutes, followed by a variety of milks Skim, 2%, Whole, Chocolate, Lactaid, Almond, and Silk Soy. Three teeth were used for each treatments and enamel microhardness of each sample was measured at baseline, after erosive exposure, and after the 30-minute variable treatment. Results: All fruits and vegetables showed differences between the pre- and posttreatment microhardness values. For the second experiment, tested milks result in significant increases (p<0.05) in enamel microhardness. Paired-t test was used for all comparisons. A thirty-minute exposure to the juices of all fruits and vegetables examined in the study significantly changed the microhardness of enamel, with grapefruit and pickle having potentially the most erosive effect on enamel. Diets that are high in fruits and vegetables can predispose to enamel erosion. For the second experiment, filtered water, ACT fluoride rinse, and varying milks all result in remineralization of enamel. Conclusion: Eroded enamel exposed to milk demonstrated a significant greater gain of enamel microhardness as compared to filtered water.