title: Food acid content and erosive potential of sugar-free confections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental erosion is an increasingly prevalent problem associated with frequent consumption of acidic foods and beverages. The aim of this study was to measure the food acid content and the erosive potential of a variety of sugar-free confections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty sugar-free confections were selected and extracts analysed to determine pH, titratable acidity, chemical composition and apparent degree of saturation with respect to apatite. The effect of the sugar-free confections in artificial saliva on human enamel was determined in an in vitro dental erosion assay using change in surface microhardness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The change in surface microhardness was used to categorize the confections as high, moderate or low erosive potential. Seventeen of the 30 sugar-free confections were found to contain high concentrations of food acids, exhibit low pH and high titratable acidity and have high erosive potential. Significant correlations were found between the dental erosive potential (change in enamel surface microhardness) and pH and titratable acidity of the confections. Ten of these high erosive potential confections displayed dental messages on the packaging suggesting they were safe for teeth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many sugar-free confections, even some with 'Toothfriendly' messages on the product label, contain high contents of food acids and have erosive potential.
authors.affiliation: Oral Health CRC, Melbourne Dental School, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Oral Health CRC, Melbourne Dental School, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Oral Health CRC, Melbourne Dental School, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Oral Health CRC, Melbourne Dental School, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: Oral Health CRC, Melbourne Dental School, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stacey
authors.affiliation: Oral Health CRC, Melbourne Dental School, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D001031:Apatites / Q000032:analysis*; D001628:Beverages; D002182:Candy; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects*; D003747:Dental Enamel Solubility; D005504:Food Analysis; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009909:Oral Health; D012464:Saliva, Artificial / Q000494:pharmacology; D000073893:Sugars / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014077:Tooth Erosion
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D001031:Apatites; D012464:Saliva, Artificial; D000073893:Sugars
keywords: Acidity; candies; dental erosion; food acid; sugar-free confections