title: What is the critical pH and why does a tooth dissolve in acid?
abstract: This paper discusses the concept of critical pH for dissolution of enamel in oral fluids. The critical pH does not have a fixed value but rather is inversely proportional to the calcium and phosphate concentrations in the solution. The paper also discusses why teeth dissolve in acid, why remineralization of white-spot caries lesions is possible and why remineralization of teeth eroded by acid is not possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Colin_Dawes@umanitoba.ca
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dawes
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D003747:Dental Enamel Solubility; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000737:chemistry; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D014089:Tooth Remineralization
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D017886:Durapatite; D002118:Calcium