Why there will be a change in the pH value of saliva when it is measured before the meal and after the meal?
Answers
Explanation:
When we consume acidic foods and drinks, the pH within the mouth decreases and can cause the pH in the dental plaque to fall rapidly below 5.0. This happens through the production of acids as the bacteria metabolize the ingested nutrients.
Answer:
Dissolution of the enamel in the form of erosion has increased due to shift in eating habits toward carbonated drinks like soft drink and chocolates.
Aim
The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the salivary pH after intake of different eatables and beverages in children at different time intervals.
Study design
Using standard salivary tests, this study was conducted as a case-control study. Fifty children between ages of 8 and 12 years having strict vegetarian diet were included in the study.
Materials and methods
Oral prophylaxis was done and salivary buffer capacity for stimulated saliva was measured. Before the saliva collection, each of the children was informed not to eat or drink anything for up to 2 hours just before the appointment.
Results
On pairwise evaluation, all the differences were found to be significant statistically except between baseline vs 30 minutes. Maximum mean difference was calculated and observed between baseline and immediately after intake of fruit juice and immediate after 30 minutes, 0.953 and 0.963 respectively, while minimum difference was calculated and observed between baseline and 30 minutes after intake of fruit juice (0.010).
Conclusion
Maximum drop was seen in cold drink when compared with fruit juice. The maximum pH increase was observed in cream biscuits with 7.63 ± 0.20. It was observed that in all the groups, the pH gradually got back to near normal levels due to the buffering mechanism of saliva.