Abstract

Dental erosion has been reported to be a rising health problem among children and adults globally. In contemporary societies, there is an increasing concern on the effect of consumption of acid drinks such as soft drinks, fruit juices, and fruit teas on dental erosion. Intake of soft drink, even for short duration, can diminish enamel microhardness. The aim of this study is to measure the initial pH of various commonly used beverages and to determine their ability to maintain a low pH by measuring their buffering capacities. 100 ml of each drink was titrated with 1 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) added in 0.2 ml increments until the pH reached 5.5 and 7. This was done using a stirrer until a stable pH reading was obtained after each increment (0.2 ml) of NaOH. This was done to measure the total titratable acidity; titrations were repeated in triplicate for all drinks to check for reproducibility and to give a mean value for that drink. Titratable acidity of a solution is measured by reacting the acids present with a base such as NaOH to a chosen endpoint, close to neutrality. The titratable acidity was kept at 5.5 and 7. The amount of NaOH required to raise the pH to 5.5 and 7 was noted. The data were entered in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and the data were subjected to statistical analysis using Mann–Whitney test. The buffering capacity was found to be lowest for milk-based drink followed by preserved fruit juices. Carbonated beverages, especially coke has highest pH and buffering capacity followed by Fanta and Sprite.