A comparison of enamel erosion by a new sports drink compared to two proprietary products: a controlled, crossover study in situ.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to measure the erosive potential of a prototype sports drink on enamel in a model in situ.


METHODS
The study was a single centre, single blind, randomised crossover design balanced for residual effects involving 18 subjects. The drinks were the prototype formulation containing calcium and maltodextrin (test), two sports drink products containing sugars (drink with calcium and positive control) and water (negative control). During each 15-day study period, subjects wore a palatal removable appliance carrying two flat human enamel specimens. Drinks were imbibed as 250 ml volumes over 10 min 4 times per day. Loss of enamel was measured on days 5, 10 and 15 using a contacting profilometer.


RESULTS
Very little erosion occurred with the test, drink with calcium and negative control drinks and differences between the test and negative control only reached significance at day 15. The positive control produced progressive erosion over time and significantly more than the test or negative control at all time points.


CONCLUSIONS
The technology of adding calcium with appropriate pH adjustment, which has been applied previously to soft and carbonated drinks to markedly reduce erosive potential, can be applied to sports drinks to the same end. Significant variation in the carbohydrate composition does not influence this outcome.
Division of Restorative Dentistry, Dental School, Lower Maudlin Street, BS1 2LY Bristol, UK.
S
S
Hooper
N X
NX
West
N
N
Sharif
S
S
Smith
M
M
North
J
J
De'Ath
D M
DM
Parker
A
A
Roedig-Penman
M
M
Addy
D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005947:Glucose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008320:Maltose / Q000032:analysis; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013177:Sports; D013395:Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000139:chemically induced*
D011134:Polysaccharides; D013395:Sucrose; D008320:Maltose; C008315:maltodextrin; D005947:Glucose; D002118:Calcium