Safety evaluation on pH and fluoride content of locally available and packaged milk as a potential factor in dental fluorosis in Jaipur, India

Objective : Milk being the most consumed food in the 1 st years of life and the fluoride exposure through infant foods including milk, during the critical period of tooth development may lead to dental fluorosis. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess and compare the pH using digital pH meter and fluoride content using the spectrophotometric method of locally available and packaged milk in Jaipur. Materials and Methods : Fluoride and pH analysis were carried out among 3 milk groups: (i) Locally available milk (ii) packet milk and (iii) packaged tetra-pack milk. A total of 19 samples were included in the study. Results : The mean fluoride content was found to be 0.017 (±0.003 standard error of mean) with a range of 0.001-0.02. The pH of the milk samples was found to be in the range of 4.46-7.11. Conclusion : In view of the results of the present study, milk consumption has no major impact on total daily dietary fluoride intake, but the pH of the soy-based tetra-pack milk was found to be less than critical pH.