LAUSR

BACKGROUND Some beverages were known to cause extrinsic staining on the tooth. This study was to investigate the degree of pigmentation caused by children acidic beverages, and to confirm the possibility for assessing of stain by quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) technology. METHODS Bovine tooth specimens were subjected to an 8-day pH-cycling model, using six children's beverages (experimental groups) and a coke (control group), and a remineralizing solution. Before and after the pH-cycling, white-light and fluorescence images of the enamel surface were photographed with a QLF to evaluate color change (ΔEafter) and fluorescence loss (ΔFafter), respectively. Paired t-test was used to compare the tooth colors obtained before and after the pH-cycling. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to examine the correlation between the ΔEafter and ΔFafter values. RESULTS All the beverages revealed ΔEafter ranged from 18.83 to 1.32, showing the greatest value in Koal-Koal KoalaTM (KKK, p < 0.001). The ΔEafter was correlated with ΔFafter value negatively (ρ=-0.611, p < 0.001). The ΔF varied by beverages (-31.78-0.00) and KKK caused the greatest value. CONCLUSIONS The coke and the 6 children's beverages showed the possibility of discoloration on the tooth. The QLF technology may enable monitoring the discoloration induced on the tooth surface by acidic beverage.