INTRODUCTION: several cases of tooth erosion have been attributed to oral administration of liquid oral medications. Casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) has gained much concern in modern dentistry for having anti- erosive properties.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of CCP-ACP on the surface microhardness of primary tooth enamel eroded by antihistamine syrup.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty exfoliated primary teeth were collected and stored in normal saline till the beginning of the study. Then, each tooth was sectioned in a buccolingual direction into two halves, one served as study and other served as control. Specimens of both groups were immersed in antihistamine syrup for 30 min twice daily for 12 days to produce erosive enamel lesions. Study group specimens were treated with the remineralizing agent CPP-ACP once daily 3min for 10 consecutive days and the control group specimens remained untreated. The samples were stored in artificial saliva between the erosive and the remineralizing cycles. the samples were evaluated for their surface microhardness by using Vickers microhardness testing. Data were collected, tabulated and statistically analyzed by using paired t test. Significance level was set at 5%. Bar charts were used for graphical presentation.
RESULTS: The mean surface microhardness of the sample was significantly decreased after erosion with antihistamine syrup (P<0.000). The mean surface microhardness of remineralized samples was significantly higher than that of the untreated samples (P = 0.01).
CONCLUSION: Treatment of eroded primary tooth enamel with CPP-ACP paste improved the surface microhardness invitro. Hardness testing is an accurate and reliable method to evaluate the enamel surface for demineralization and remineralization studies in vitro.