Effects of Flavoured Dairy Products on Primary Tooth Enamel: A Six-Month in Vitro Study.
ORAL, cilt.6, sa.6, ss.132-144, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 6 Sayı: 6
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.3390/oral6050132
- Dergi Adı: ORAL
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.132-144
- Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background: Commercial flavoured dairy products contain milk-derived minerals and proteins that may protect enamel, but they may also contain acids capable of promoting erosion. This study investigated the effects of repeated exposure to six flavoured dairy products on primary tooth enamel in vitro. Methods: A total of 108 non-carious primary molars were allocated to independent analytical sets: 56 intact teeth for weight analysis (n = 7/group), 28 teeth sectioned to obtain 56 enamel specimens for Vickers microhardness testing (n = 7/group), and 24 intact teeth for micro-CT analysis (n = 3/group). Six dairy products, cola, and artificial saliva constituted eight experimental groups. Specimens were exposed for 5 min twice daily for six months. Weight and microhardness were assessed at baseline and after 1, 3 and 6 months; apparent mineral density was assessed at baseline and after 6 months. Results: At six months, mean weight decreased by 10.5–14.0% in the dairy-product groups and by 20.6% in the cola group, compared with 0.8% in the artificialsaliva group. Mean microhardness decreased by 60.2–68.3% in the dairy-product groups and by60.6% in the cola group, whereas the artificial-saliva group showed a 17.1% increase. Significant time and time-by-group effects were observed for weight and microhardness (p < 0.001). No significant within-group or between-group differences were detected by micro-CT (p >0.05). Conclusions: Repeated exposure to the tested flavoured dairy products produced measurable reductions in whole-tooth weight and enamel surface microhardness under the experimental conditions. The exploratory micro-CT analysis did not detect statistically significant changes in apparent mineral density. Adequately powered in situ and clinical studies are required before these findings can inform dietary recommendations.