Research Article
Mineral Element Analysis of Rat Molar Enamel after Consumption of Sugary Drinks: An Energy Dispersive X-Ray Study
1*Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
2Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Received Date: May 05, 2025; Published Date: May 20, 2025
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the effect of consumption of different sugary drinks on the surface configuration and mineral element content of rat molar enamel using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis system.
Methods: First mandibular molar teeth from 100 adult Sprague-Dawley rats were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). One hundred Sprague-Dawley rats were offered one of the following drinks ad libitum: chocolate milk, strawberry milk, banana milk, cola carbonated drink, citrus carbonated drink, orange carbonated drink, apple fruit drink, orange fruit drink, mango drink and distilled water. By the end of the experiment, rats were scarified, and the right side of the mandibles were removed and kept in 10% neutral buffered formalin solution for further analysis. The surface conformation of the teeth was studied and the mineral element contents (Na, Mg, P, Ca, and Ca/P) of the enamel for all the mandibular right first molars were analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). The collected data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey test.
Results: Among the experimental groups, enamel of the rats that consumed flavored milk contained more Ca and less P than the rats consumed carbonated drinks and fruit drinks with statistically significant differences. Within the experimental subgroups, enamel of the rats that consumed strawberry milk contained more Ca than the rats consumed all different carbonated drinks and fruit drinks with significant differences. However, P was found to be lower in the enamel of the rats consuming strawberry milk with significant difference to rats consuming orange carbonated and mango fruit drinks subgroups.
Conclusion: The enamel surface topography was affected following the consumption of different sugary drinks and altered the mineral element content of the teeth enamel.
Keywords: SEM, EDX, Carbonated drinks, Fruit drinks, Flavored milk, Experimental rats
