The Relationship of Titratable Acidity, Titratable Alkalinity, and pH to the Incidence of Dental Caries

Abstract

IN THIS paper we deal with three chemical characteristics of saliva, namely, titratable acidity, titratable alkalinity, and hydrogen ion concentration, and their relationship to dental caries incidence. A number of studies have been reported in which pH and extent of dental caries are considered. Most of these studies indicate a lack of close relationship between pH of whole saliva and dental caries of extent. Fewer studies have been reported in which titratable acidity or titratable alkalinity and dental caries occurrence were the points of consideration. In these studies there is some uniformity in reports reflecting an association between dental caries and titratable alkalinity. RIsel (1905), Marshall2 (1915), Hub-