The Impact of Fruit Juices on the Dental Erosion in Human Tooth Enamel Research Paper - 1

The Impact of Fruit Juices on the Dental Erosion in Human Tooth Enamel - Research Paper Example The difference in the degree of teeth erosion between the adult permanent teeth and the baby primary teeth will also be stressed in this project. The effect of orange juice acid on the dental tubules will also be clearly demonstrated in the experimental project. This is because the two teeth have a different structure and chemical make up and hence respond differently to any form of chemical erosion on their part. Project Aim The use of Scanning Electron Microscope images (SEM) was employed to present a clearer view of the macroscopic effects of the erosive effects of the acid, present in orange juice, on the teeth’s surface. The effects of the obliteration of the dentinal tubules are also clearly evidenced in the SEM images. SEM Analysis of Tooth Enamel The images used in the experiment were taken using a Scanning Electron Microscope. The teeth were placed in a horizontal position, and care was taken to ensure that there was zero degree of tilt. After that, the SEM image pict ures were taken at two different magnification levels of 10Â µm and 200Â µm for teeth in both categories of adult and primary. The electron acceleration that was used in the experiment was relatively low at 15.0kV and the working distance ranging from between 4.5mm to 7.0mm for both sets of adult and primary teeth depending on the overall size of the tooth. The Images taken by the microscope were then digitized with the help of SEM Image Slave software in order to obtain the quality images displayed1. The use of both back scattered and secondary electrons was employed to produce images. The SEM images in fig 1.4 show the surface of the adult tooth to be rough and scattered with many surface wide fissures and niches. The SEM image in fig 3.3 of the primary tooth shows the baby tooth to be covered with different size and number of particles, which are suggestive of different types of abrasive changes on the biting surface2. Discussion of the SEM Images Analysis of the Scanning Elect ron Microscope (SEM) Samples From the Scanning Electron Microscope image of the controlled tooth without any effect in fig 2.1, it can clearly be seen that there is an overall erosion of the entire smear layer of the tooth after its immersion in orange juice. The appearance of macroscopic lesions on the surface of the tooth after its immersion in orange juice is a clear indication of the erosive nature of the liquid. The result obtained is not much different from the one shown in the fig 1.1 of controlled tooth 1, which shows a normal human tooth viewed at 200Â µm; the tooth appears to be normal with a few deep lesions on its surface that can be ascribed to characteristic wear and tear due to the tooth’s normal activities while in the oral cavity. The surface appears to be smooth and not suffering from signs of any previous tooth erosion or any other tooth defect3. The figure 1.2 of controlled tooth 2 viewed at 200Â µm shows a normally developed adult permanent tooth. The t ooth appears to be normal with a few deep lesions on its surface. The tooth also seems to have more pronounced chipping as compared to the previous tooth in figure 1.1. No dental caries or any other defect can be detected on the tooth’s surface. The figure 1.3 of controlled tooth 3 that is being viewed at a magnification level of 10Â µm shows a clear lesion on the tooth’