Assessment of the Erosive Potential of the Commonly Consumed Fruit-Based Beverages Among Children

Background: Dental erosion, an irreversible loss of dental hard tissue by a chemical process without the involvement of bacteria can be caused by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The consumption of foods with a low pH can cause a drop in the pH of the oral cavity below critical pH and its persistence can lead to a potential damage to teeth. As acidic beverages are likely to be a major factor in the etiology of dental erosion, it is important to determine the erosive potential of commonly consumed fruit-based beverages among children and educate the parents of their detrimental effects on teeth. Objectives: To evaluate and compare the pH and titratable acidity of the commonly consumed fruit-based beverages. Methodology: Three commonly consumed flavours (Orange, Apple, Mixed fruit) of fruit-based beverages (Group 1 - fresh fruit juice; Group 2 - packed fruit juice; Group 3 - packed fruit drink) were analyzed for pH and titratable acidity. The pH was determined using digital pH meter and the titratable acidity was measured by adding 1M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in increments of 0.2 ml to 100 ml of the freshly prepared/ opened fruit-based beverages until the pH reached 5.5 and 7. The pH reading was measured after each increment (0.2 ml) of NaOH, until a stable pH was achieved. All the measurements were repeated in triplicates. Results: The pH of all drinks investigated in the present study ranged between 3.29 - 4.43. On comparison of the titratable acidity, packed fruit drink (Group 3) exhibited highest titratable acidity, followed by packed fruit juices (Group 2) and fresh fruit juices (Group 1). Conclusion: All the fruit-based beverages in the present study exhibited an acidic pH, which was well below the critical pH of 5.5, thereby exhibiting an erosive potential.