Effects from pretreatment of stannous fluoride versus sodium fluoride on enamel exposed to 0.1 M or 0.01 M hydrochloric acid.

Preventing enamel erosions caused by acidic soft drinks or from vomiting during eating disorders is a challenge in current dental research. The aim of this study was to examine whether pretreatment of dental enamel with a solution of 0.4% SnF2 could prevent dissolution of human enamel exposed to solutions of 0.1 M HCl, pH 1.2 or 0.01 M HCl at pH 2.2. Human enamel was pretreated for 18 h with a solution of 0.4% SnF2 and with control solutions of 2% NaF or distilled water, and then exposed to HCl solutions. Similar experiments were performed with teeth treated for 2 min SnF2 and then 4 min HCl. The effect was monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by chemical analysis. At pH 2.2, NaF and water treatments showed minor inhibition of enamel dissolution, whereas SnF2 inhibited demineralization significantly also after 2 min pretreatment and 4 min HCl exposure. At pH 1.2, SEM showed severe dissolution of the enamel surfaces regardless of pretreatment. As pH of stomach vomit is usually > 1.5, SnF2 may be an interesting agent for use in the treatment and prevention of dental erosions even in patients with frequent vomiting episodes.