The Effect of Digestive Medicine on Enamel Erosion

Consumption of liquid digestive medicine has continually grown in recent years. This present study was designed to evaluate the capability of liquid digestive medicine to erode dental enamel, relating the pH and titratable acidity of liquid digestive medicine. Three commercially available liquid digestive medicines were chosen these were Gashwalmyeungsu, Saengrokchun and Wicheongsu. The liquid digestive medicines were evaluated in respect to pH, titratable acidity and concentrations of calcium and phosphate, respectively. This measure was carried out three times for each digestive medicine and was recorded the data as mean (standard deviation). Bovine enamel specimens measured microhardness at base line and then were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 10 each. The specimens were immersed into each liquid digestive medicine for 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes and then evaluated each time by VHN. All digestive medicines had a pH of less than 3.7. Wicheongsu had the lowest pH 2.93 and Gashwalmyeungsu had highest pH 3.63. In pH 5.5, titratable acidity of Wicheongsu was 1.27 ml. Gashwalmyeungsu was 0.63 ml. Saengrokchun was 0.60 ml. All liquid digestive medicines showed low concentration of calcium and phosphate. The microhardness of specimens after immersion into liquid digestive medicines was continuously reduced in all digestive medicines. After 30-minute treatment in liquid digestive medicines, Wicheongsu containing low pH and high tiratable acidity was shown to be lowest microhardness value ($207.80{\pm}15.52$). The three liquid digestive medicines caused surface softening of enamel erosion. We conclude that drinks, commonly consumed by functional dyspepsia patient can cause erosion of enamel.

액상소화제가 법랑질 부식에 미치는 영향

액상소화제의 법랑질 부식능을 알아보기 위하여 마트에서 쉽게 구입할 수 있는 2종의 액상소화제와 약국에서 판매하는 1종의 액상소화제 그리고 대조군으로 생수를 선정하였다. 음료의 pH와 적정산도를 측정하고, 시편을 제작하여 음료에 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30분을 침지한 후 나타나는 양상을 표면 미세 경도계로 측정하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 대조군인 생수를 제외한 모든 액상소화제의 pH가 4.0 이하로 나타났으며 위청수에서 $2.93{\pm}0.00$으로 가장 낮았다. pH 5.5로 변환하는 데 필요한 적정산도 또한 위청수에서 1.27 ml로 가장 높게 나타났다. 모든 액상소화제에서 침지시간이 증가함에 따라 표면경도가 감소하였으며 음료 30분 처리 후 표면 경도값은 위청수에서 $207.80{\pm}15.52$ VHN으로 가장 낮았고, 까스활명수 $216.86{\pm}4.01$, 생록천 $223.28{\pm}9.56$ 순이었다. 실험에 사용된 모든 액상소화제는 치아 법랑질에 부식을 유발하였으며, 음료처리 후에 pH가 가장 낮고 적정산도가 가장 높은 위청수에서 가장 낮은 표면 경도 값을 보여 실험에 사용된 액상소화제 중 가장 많은 법랑질 부식을 유발하였다. 따라서 액상소화제의 섭취는 법랑질표면경도를 감소시켜 치아 부식을 유발할 수 있으므로 이에 대한 대처방안이 마련되어야 할 것이다.