Evaluation of changes in salivary pH after the intake of fruits, fresh fruit juices and processed juices: a randomized control trial

Nutrition is a potent constituent of oral health. Use of different fruits and their juices (fresh and processed) provide us different nutrients but also cause a change in salivary pH which may further establish a reason for other problems like dental cavities. The present study was designed to check saliva pH after intake of fresh and processed fruit juices. Fruits and processed juices of orange, apple, pomegranate


Introduction
Nutrition is a potent constituent of oral health.There is a ceaseless synergy between nutrition and the state of the oral cavity in the health and problems associated to them Different studies were conducted to find cariogenic foods which also promote oral health [8].This study was designed to check the pH of saliva after the consumption of fresh fruits, fresh fruit juices and processed juices and then examine the most cariogenic culprit.

Procurement of raw material
Fruits and processed juices of orange, apple, pomegranate, and guava were obtained from local market of Faisalabad on the same day of the study.Fruits were peeled off and pulp was chopped into the desirable size.The seeds were removed from seed fruits.Fresh and processed fruit juices A total of 750 ml of fresh fruit juice was prepared without addition of water and sugar to which 250 ml of water is added to standardize the consistency and quantity of fruit juice.Juice was prepared in closed cabin which and given to participants 100 ml of each fruit juice.Available processed fruit juices were purchased from the local market and 100 ml was also given to participants [9].Data collection Data was collected separately for simple fruits, fresh fruit juices and processed juices.Saliva was collected in test tube after consumption at different intervals (Table 1).The intrinsic pH of fruit juice was noted by the digital electronic pH meter (-bench type pH meter TASHCON) [10].

Statistical analysis
Data collected was analyzed by using ANOVA statistical model.

Results and discussion
Results indicated that before intake of fruits and juices, salivary pH was normal (Fig. 1).The results of the fruit juice of guava showed basic nature while the processed fruit juice showed pH: 7.07±0.30%(Table 2).The pH of simple orange fruit was about 5.86±0.10%while their simple fresh juice depicted acidic pH: 4.62±0.19%,while its processed fruit juice showed decline in pH (pH:4.67±0.10%)(Table 3).Similar trend was observed for apple fruit and its fresh and processed juice (Table 4) but pomegranate showed somewhat different trend.(Table 5).At 0 mins, acidic pH of saliva was observed (Fig. 2).After 5 minutes, processed fruit juices caused more decline in pH than fresh juices (Fig. 3).There was much change in salivary pH even after 15 mins while for pomegranate juices, pH moved towards alkaline value (Fig. 4).But after 30 minutes, salivary pH tends to be alkaline which in case of pomegranate noticeable (Fig. 5) was.There was least change in salivary pH with use of pomegranate fruit and juice which indicated that pomegranate has less effect on change of salivary pH.The use of other fruits and juices also depicted that fruit juices were more dangerous and may interfere with the salivary pH than consuming whole fruit.The reason may be that processed juices contain a lot of artificial sugars which cause increase in their shelf life and protect from any bacterial or viral attack [11].But also cause lowering in pH of saliva leading to dental caries [12].Simple fruits contain a lot of nutrients and fibers but during juice making, these fibers are lost [13].

Conclusion
In case of simple fruits, pomegranate caused lowest decrease in salivary pH than all other fruits (orange, guava, and apple).Processed fruit juices have significant effect on changing the pH of saliva.

Figure 1 .Figure 3 .
Figure 1.The value of pH before consumption of different fruits and juices