Effect of three different remineralizing agents on artificial erosive lesions of primary teeth

Background This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of three remineralizing agents on dental erosion in primary teeth. Methods Forty primary molars were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 each): self-assembling peptide (P11-4), casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate (CPP-ACFP), sodium fluoride (NaF) and artificial saliva (AS; control). The erosion-like formation was created by immersing the samples in citric acid (4 x 2 min, pH 2.3) and AS (4 x 2 h, pH 7). The eroded samples were then treated with remineralizing agents and subjected to further erosion consisting of 15 cycles (3x/8-h interval) of immersion in citric acid and AS for 6 s each. Alterations in the mineral content and morphology of the samples were quantified using a microhardness tester and atomic force microscope. Results All agents had a significant remineralization effect on eroded primary tooth enamel. After further erosive challenge, enamel loss in the CPP-ACFP group was found to be significantly lower than in all other groups, and no significant difference was found between the P11-4 and NaF groups. Conclusions This study showed that all tested materials had remineralization ability, and CPP-ACFP had a superior effect in inhibiting enamel loss due to dental erosion in primary teeth.