title: Erosive characteristics and fluoride content of cola-type drinks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Excessive consumption of carbonated soft drinks is detrimental to general and oral health. This study determined endogenous pH, titratable acidity (TA) and fluoride (F) ion concentration of cola-type drinks available in the UK. Subsidiary aims were to compare: (i) endogenous pH and TA of drinks upon opening (T0) and after 20 minutes (T20); (ii) endogenous pH, TA and F ion concentration of diet vs regular and plastic bottle vs canned drinks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endogenous pH, TA (mls 0.1M NaOH) and F ion (mg/L) of 71 products were measured using a pH meter and F-ISE. A Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test compared pH and TAs at T0 and T20; a Mann-Whitney U test compared pH, TAs and F ion concentration for; a) regular vs diet drinks; and b) plastic bottle vs canned drinks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (±SD) pH for regular and diet drinks was 2.44 ± 0.12 and 2.83 ± 0.33 respectively (p = 0.001). Mean NaOH (ml) to raise pH to 5.5 and 5.7 was 5.49 ± 0.76 and 6.40 ± 0.78 (regular drinks); 5.17 ± 1.03 and 6.03 ± 1.07 (diet drinks). Diet (p = 0.040) and regular (p = 0.041) drinks had higher TA to pH 5.7 at T0 compared with T20; at T20 regular drinks had higher TA to pH 5.5 (p = 0.026) and pH 5.7 (p = 0.030) than diet drinks. There was no difference in F ion concentration between regular vs diet drinks (p = 0.754) and no significant container effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erosive characteristics were similar between manufacturers, but higher erosive potentials were evident at T0 compared with 20 minutes later and for regular compared with diet drinks. F ion concentration of drinks was low.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Oral Health Research, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Omid
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Care, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Zohoori
authors.affiliation: Research Collaborative Services, Newcastle University Information Technology, Newcastle University, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kometa
authors.affiliation: Centre for Oral Health Research, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maguire
mesh_terms: D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005459:Fluorides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D005459:Fluorides