title: Erosive potential of sugar free and sugar containing pediatric medicines given regularly and long term to children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the erosive potential of 94 pediatric medicines of various therapeutic groups in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro measurement of endogenous pH and titratable acidity (mmol) of 94 formulations was done. Endogenous pH was measured using a pH meter, followed by titration with 0.1-M NaOH using phenolphthalein as indicator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 55 (59%) formulations had an endogenous pH of <5.5. The mean (±SD) endogenous pH and titratable acidity for 45 SC formulations were 5.52 ± 1.18 and 0.165 ± 0.131 mmol, respectively; for 49 sugars-free (SF) formulations, these figures were 5.81 ± 1.43 and 0.393 ± 1.225 mmol (P > 0.05).Compared with their SC bioequivalents, eight SF medicines showed no significant differences for pH or titratable acidity, while 10 higher-strength medicines showed lower pH (P 0.035) and greater titratable acidity (P 0.026) than their lower-strength equivalents. Chewable and dispersible tablets, gastrointestinal medicines and antibiotics were significant predictors of higher pH. In contrast, effervescent tablets, and nutrition and blood preparations were significant predictors of higher titratable acidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric SF medicines were not more erosive than SC medicines in vitro; a more significant predictor of their erosive potential was dose form. Higher the dose form more was the erosive potential of the medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Darshan Dental College and Hospital, Loyara, Udaipur, 313011, India. drutsav17@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Ruchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Utsav
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arora
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002648:Child; D004304:Dosage Forms; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D014077:Tooth Erosion
chemical_list: D004304:Dosage Forms; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D013549:Sweetening Agents