EVALUATION OF ALTERATION IN PLAQUE PH ON CONSUMPTION OF COMMONLY PRESCRIBED LIQUID MEDICINES TO CHRONICALLY ILL CHILDREN

Purpose: To estimate drop in plaque pH, minimum pH and maximum pH drop in first 30 mins on consumption of commonly prescribed liquid medicines to chronically ill children. Methods: A cross- sectional study was carried out in Pediatric ward of J.K.LOAN hospital (Government Hospital), Jaipur, India on chronically ill children. Five commonly prescribed liquid medicines were selected for the study to estimate drop in plaque pH, minimum pH and maximum pH drop in first 30 mins. The products were evaluated in a randomized experiment, with 3 repetitions for each sample, and the mean was taken. Results: Phenytoin, Theophylline and Multivitamin - multimineral syrup showed decrease in plaque pH and had minimum pH value comparable to 10% sucrose solution. Vitamin D3 - Calcium Carbonate and Ferrous Fumarate - Folic acid syrup did not show a significant decrease in plaque pH and minimum pH was also found elevated as compared to 10% sucrose solution. Maximum pH drop was seen with Phenytoin (1.48) and Theophylline (1.41) comparable to 10% sucrose solution (1.40). The test showed that there was no significant difference between Phenytoin, Theophylline, Multivitamin - multimineral syrup and sucrose solution as the medicines behaving essentially same as 10% sucrose solution with respect to their potential to generate acids. Conclusion: Most commonly prescribed medication to the patients of younger age group is in the form of syrup. Therefore incorporation of non sweetened or sugar- free sweeteners in the liquid medications is recommended.