The effect of antacid on salivary pH in patients with and without dental erosion after multiple acid challenges

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of antacid swish in the salivary pH values and to monitor the pH changes in subjects with and without dental erosion after multiple acid challenge tests. Methods: 20 subjects with tooth erosion were matched in age and gender with 20 healthy controls according to specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Baseline measures were taken of salivary pH, buffering capacity and salivary flow rate using the Saliva Check System. Subjects swished with Diet Pepsi three times at 10-minute intervals. Changes in pH were monitored using a digital pH meter at 0-, 5-, and 10-minute intervals and at every 5 minutes after the third swish until pH resumed baseline value or 45 minutes relapse. Swishing regimen was repeated on a second visit, followed by swishing with sugar-free liquid antacid (Mylanta Supreme). Recovery times were also recorded. Data was analyzed using independent t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and Fisher's exact test (alpha=0.05). Results: Baseline buffering capacity and flow rate were not significantly different between groups (P=0.542; P=0.2831, respectively). Baseline salivary pH values were similar between groups (P=0.721). No significant differences in salivary pH values were found between erosion and non-erosion groups in response to multiple acid challenges (P=0.695) or antacid neutralization (P=0.861). Analysis of salivary pH recovery time revealed no significant differences between groups after acid challenges (P=0.091) or after the use of antacid (P=0.118). There was a highly significant difference in the survival curves of the two groups on Day 2, with the non-erosion group resolving significantly faster than the erosion group (P=0.0086).