Effects of a potentially erosive antiasthmatic medicine on the enamel and dentin of primary teeth: An in situ study.

This study evaluates, in situ, the effect of an anti-asthmatic medicine on the enamel and dentin of primary teeth. Twenty-eight specimens of enamel and dentin were prepared, selected, sterilized, and stored. Microhardness, microscopic morphology, and initial surface roughness were evaluated. Fourteen volunteers wore palatal devices containing two dentin specimens and two enamel specimens. Volunteers underwent surface treatment three times a day for 5 days, with the dripping of 5 ml of salbutamol sulfate for 1 min, only on specimens from one side of the device. At the end of the experiment the microscopic morphology, roughness, surface loss, and microhardness were ascertained. For enamel surfaces exposed to the medicine, erosion was observed in the microscopy images, along with a significant increase in roughness (p = .0325) and tissue loss (p = .03251) and a significant decrease in microhardness (p = .0325). For the dentin surfaces, erosion was observed in the microscopy images, but there was no significant increase in roughness (p = .593) or tissue loss (p = .285) nor any decrease in microhardness (p = .1088). In conclusion, the salbutamol sulfate had an in situ erosive effect on primary teeth enamel and this effect was observed morphologically on primary dentin. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Asthma is considered a global health problem, and its prevalence has increased in many countries, especially among children, as well as dental erosion. This study has clinical relevance because provides data on the erosive effect of a commonly prescribed anti asthmatic drug on deciduous teeth.