Pharmacology · single question
A patient reports using energy drinks daily and presents for a dental check-up. Which approximate pH of these drinks is most clinically relevant?
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Correct answer: A. pH 2–3 (highly acidic)
- A. Correct. Energy drinks typically have a pH of 2.5–3.5, which is highly erosive. This level of acidity is well below the critical pH for enamel dissolution (~5.5) and significantly below dentin critical pH (~6.5), posing a major erosion risk.
- B. A pH of 8 is alkaline — energy drinks are not alkaline.
- C. A pH of 7 is neutral — energy drinks are definitively acidic, not neutral.
- D. pH 5–6 is mildly acidic and below enamel's critical pH, but this understates the acidity of most energy drinks.