Evaluation of acidity and total sugar content of children's popular beverages and their effect on plaque pH.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Single-blind controlled crossover/repeated-measures trial with laboratory evaluation
PubMed 21157052 · doi:10.4103/0970-4388.73783
What was done
Endogenous pH, titratable acidity (volume of 0.1 N NaOH required for neutralization), and total sugar content (via high-performance liquid chromatography) were measured for commercial cola, orange juice, and full-fat milk. In vivo, 25 healthy children (mean age 11.8 ± 0.6 years) rinsed with 15 mL of each beverage for 1 minute in a single-blind protocol. Rinses with 10% sucrose and 10% sorbitol served as controls. Plaque pH was assessed before and after rinsing to evaluate minimum pH, maximum pH drop, and area under the curve.
What was found
Cola and orange juice exhibited low baseline pH and similar total sugar contents, whereas milk exhibited high baseline pH and low sugar content (exact values not provided in the abstract). Plaque pH drops (minimum pH, maximum pH drop, and area under the curve) following cola and orange juice rinses were not statistically significantly different from 10% sucrose (P > 0.05) and were significantly greater than 10% sorbitol (P < 0.05). Milk differed significantly from sucrose across all measured plaque pH parameters.
Why it matters
The study confirms that commercially available orange juice and cola produce acute dental plaque acidification equivalent to a 10% sucrose rinse, reinforcing dental health guidance to restrict frequent intake of acidic and sugar-rich beverages in children.
Limits
The abstract omits specific numerical values and effect sizes for beverage chemistry and plaque pH measurements. The sample size was small (n = 25), randomization and washout intervals between test rinses are not detailed, and acute plaque pH drop is a surrogate outcome that does not directly measure long-term caries development.
Cited by
- supports A standard glass of orange juice contains the same amount of sugar as a can of Coca-Cola, about 25 grams.