Anti-erosive effect of calcium carbonate suspensions

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the ability of different concentrations of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) suspensions to control enamel surface loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-five enamel slabs were embedded, ground and polished in a pneumatic grinder-polisher machine. Reference areas were created with UPVC tape and the specimens were randomly allocated into five groups (n = 15) for exposure to hydrochloric acid solution to simulate gastric juice (0.01 M, pH 2) for 2 minutes. The samples were then exposed to suspensions containing 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01 or 0.1 mmol/L CaCO3 for 1 minute. Artificial saliva was used as control. The samples were subjected to a total of five erosive cycles followed by treatment with CaCO3 suspension. Surface loss was measured (in µm) using optical profilometry. RESULTS: One-way ANOVA (p = 0.009) and Tukey’s test showed a significant reduction in surface loss when compared to the group not exposed to CaCO3 (0.74, +/- 0.23 µm), and the 0.01 mmol/L (0.40; +/- 0.23 µm) and 0.1 mmol/L suspensions (0.37; +/- 0.26 µm). CONCLUSIONS: The lower concentrated suspensions were incapable of significantly reducing enamel surface loss. Rinsing with 0.01 and 0.1 mmol/L calcium carbonate suspensions was revealed as a potentially promising strategy to prevent enamel erosion. Key words:Tooth erosion, gastric acid, calcium carbonate, prevention and control.