Consuming Cheese After Sugar Challenge Prevents Further Plaque pH Drop

There have been previous studies stating that drinking milk after a sugary challenge prevented in vivo dental plaque pH drop and may reduce caries risk. We hypothesized that consuming dairy products such as cheese has a similar positive effect on dental plaque pH after consuming sugary foods. This study examined the effect of chewing and consuming cheese on in vivo dental plaque pH after a sugary challenge. Ten adults (18-64 years) participated in this randomized controlled crossover study. Participants refrained from oral hygiene and eating the night before and morning of the testing. A base line in vivo plaque pH was first determined using a touch microelectrode at the interproximal space between the maxillary premolars (or primary molars) on both sides. The participants then consumed one of the four combinations of foods at each visit: 20 grams of dry ready-to-eat sugar added Froot Loops cereal (FL); or FL followed by low fat Swiss cheese (5g; FL/Cheese); two pieces of Haribo Gummi-Bears (FL/Gummi-Bears); or non-flavored Gum Base (FL/GB, Control) 5min after FL. A 10ml of 10% sucrose or sorbitol solution served as controls. Plaque pH were measured at 2 and 5 minutes after FL consumption and at 2 up to 30 minutes after consuming cheese, Gummi-Bears or chewing GB. There was a two-day washout between visits. SPSS version 28 and excel were used for statistical analysis. Consumption of FL reduced plaque pH to 5.48 ± 0.42 at 15 minutes. The lowest pH value was seen in the test food group of FL/ Gummi Bear with a pH value of 5.62 ± 0.56 at the 15 minute mark. This pH value was lower when compared to the other two test food groups experienced while at their lowest pH. Gum base and cheese displayed pH values of 5.93 ± 0.57 and 6.09 ±0.58, respectively. The test food group of cheese showed the least acidic pH drop than any other food group. In fact, cheese was the most effective at reducing plaque the pH drop and was the only test food group to recover past initial baseline pH besides sorbitol control. Thus, chewing and consuming cheese after a sugar challenge reduced the drop in plaque pH caused by sugar consumption. Cheese, like milk, represents a healthy food and benefits human dental health if sequenced appropriately between or after sugary snacks.