THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF CITRATE IN DRINKS ON PLAQUEPH

The effect of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4% citrate in 10% sucrose solutions on th e plaque pH in vivo was tested in 20 volunteers using the plaque harve sting technique. Results showed that the pH response for the three tes t solutions with citrate was significantly less compared with that for 10% sucrose (positive control) alone (p<0.05). Mean areas under the p H curve were: sorbitol (negative control) 0.02, citrate 0.2% 5.30, cit rate 0.4% 6.24, citrate 0.1% 6.94 and 10% 12.69. The cariogenic potent ial index of all the citrate test drinks was almost half compared with a 10% sucrose solution (p<0.05). It was concluded that the addition o f relatively low levels of citrate in a sucrose solution reduces the a cidogenic response in the plaque.