Acidity and in vitro effects on dental hard tissues of pharmaceutical preparations used in paediatric cardiology

Background: The knowledge of oral health effects caused by long-term medication in medically compromised children is sparse. Besides the effects on salivary secretion, pharmacotherapy may also act directly on the dental hard tissues, with dental caries and/or erosive lesions as possible outcomes of their acid and fermentable sugar content. Methods: Thirteen pharmaceutical preparations commonly used on a long-term basis in paediatric cardiology were selected. The endogenous pH of water solutions of tablets, capsules, and liquid medicines were measured with a pH meter. The titratable acidity and the dissolution of calcium and phosphate after immersion of tooth specimens were quantified for preparations with an endogenous pH below 5.5. Results: The endogenous pH values varied between 3.03 and 9.02. Six of the 13 preparations (46%) had an endogenous pH below the critical value for enamel dissolution (pH 5.5). The captopril (12.5 mg) tablet water solution had the lowest pH while the propranolol hydrochloride mixture displayed the highest titratable acidity. The highest dissolved calcium and phosphate was displayed for captopril (12.5 mg) tablet water solution followed by acetylsalicylic acid (75 mg) tablet water solution. Conclusion: It is concluded that some pharmaceutical preparations that are commonly used on a long-term basis in paediatric cardiology may pose a hazardous threat to dental hard tissues due to their acidity. Correspondence address: *Dr Linda Rosén, Paediatric Dentistry, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, SE 901 87 Umeå, Sweden Email: [email protected]