In vitro approach to evaluate potential harmful effects of beer on teeth

Objective: The purpose of the present work was to examine some properties of different brands of beer manufactured in Brazil that may be important to oral health. Methods: Samples from seven different beer brands were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity, calcium and phosphate concentrations. Demineralization experiments were carried out by incubating samples with crown tooth particles (40–80 mesh) at 37°C under agitation (100 strokes/min). Results: The pH was lower than 4.0 for three of the seven samples and higher than 4.0 for the others. The amount of titratable acidity, expressed as the volume of 0.1 N NaOH solution consumed to raise the initial pH to 7.0, and the concentrations of calcium and phosphate varied. Calcium concentration ranged from 0.21 to 1.59 μmol/ml, while phosphate concentration varied from 0.048 to 0.094 μmol/ml. Calcium released to the incubation medium was proportional to the time of incubation up to 5 min. Maltose, a disaccharide, was detected in all samples studied. Conclusion: Differences in the properties examined indicated that some brands of beer studied may have potential dental effects.