الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Dental erosion is a prevalent condition that occurs worldwide. It is the result of exposure of the enamel to non-bacterial acids of either intrinsic or extrinsic origin, whereby mineral loss occurs from the surface of the tooth. The most important acids are those found in the diet, such as acidic food and drinks. To enhance the remineralization of eroded surfaces and to prevent further progression of dental wear, several preventive strategies have been adopted as well as minimal intervention.
For the past decades, the use of fluoride was found to be of critical importance for the control and prevention of dental erosion in children as well as in adults. Recently, some researches indicated that xylitol might be involved in the enamel de- and remineralization process by acting as a calcium carrier required for enamel remineralization.
Fewer studies have shown that xylitol either alone or in a combination with fluoride is effective in reducing the enamel erosion caused by acidic beverages. However, the extent of the benefit of xylitol in combination with fluoride in topical oral products, such as dentifrices, is not clear with respect to the remineralization process.
The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the effect of incorporation of xylitol in dentifrices either alone or in a combination of fluoride on the remineralization of erosive-like lesion caused by acidic beverages in primary teeth.
A total of 30 primary teeth were selected and then were randomly divided into two groups; group (I) and group (II) of 15 teeth each. Each tooth was sectioned in a buccolingual direction into mesial and distal halves; one half was treated with the remineralizing dentifrice and the other remained untreated and served as control (30 pairs of teeth fragments). All the toothpastes were blinded by different colored paper (red and green). Each group were further subdivided into 2 subgroups; subgroup (I a), subgroup (I b), subgroup (II a) and subgroup (II b) of 15 fragments each.
All specimens were submitted to a 7-day erosive de- and remineralization cycle. Each day, erosion was performed using the demineralizing solution (freshly opened bottles of regular cola drink [Pepsi]) 4 times for 2 min each. For group I; specimens of subgroup (I a) were treated with fresh dentifrice slurries of the dentifrice tube covered with red paper 2 times daily using a cotton tip after both the first and last erosive challenge and the other corresponding halves of subgroup (I b) were left untreated and served as a control. All of the specimens were stored in artificial saliva for 2 hours between each erosive challenge and were stored in artificial saliva overnight. The same procedures were performed with the specimens of group II but with the difference that specimens of subgroup (II a) were treated with dentifrice tube covered with green paper and those of subgroup (II b) were left untreated.
Twenty specimens (10 from each group) were examined qualitatively with the scanning electron microscope for the evaluation of surface topography, while forty specimens (20 from each group) were quantitatively analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for the evaluation of elemental distribution of calcium and phosphorus. The type of toothpastes was revealed after evaluation of the results.
Scanning electron microscopy revealed that both treated subgroups; (I a) and (II a) showed a more uniform surface texture closer to the normal enamel appearance than those of the untreated subgroups (I b) and (II b) which showed irregular enamel surface. Moreover it revealed that subgroup (II a) showed a little more homogenous enamel structure when compared to subgroup (I a).
On the other hand, EDX quantitative results showed that treated specimens of (subgroup I a) and those of (subgroup II a) showed the significant increase in calcium content compared to the untreated specimens (subgroup I b, II b). Specimens treated with dentifrice containing xylitol / fluoride combination (subgroup II a) showed no significant increase in the calcium content compared to those treated with dentifrice containing xylitol alone (subgroup I a).