HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 138, No 1, 39-46. © 2007 American Dental Association

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Marshall, T. A. Articles by Levy, S. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Marshall, T. A. Articles by Levy, S. M. Related Collections Periodontics

Background. Relationships among sugars and dental caries in contemporary societies are unclear. The authors describe young children’s intakes of nonmilk extrinsic (NME) and intrinsic/milk sugars and relate those intakes to dental caries.

Methods. The authors conducted cross-sectional analyses of dietary data collected from the Iowa Fluoride Study using three-day diaries for subjects at ages 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years and for subjects aged 1 through 5 years according to dental caries experience at 4.5 to 6.9 years of age. They categorized foods and beverages as containing NME or intrinsic/milk sugars.

Results. Subjects’ total, NME, food NME and intrinsic/milk sugars intakes at ages studied did not differ between subjects with and without caries experience. Beverage NME sugars intakes at age 3 years predicted caries (P < .05) in logistic regression models adjusted for age at dental examination and for fluoride intake.

Conclusions. Dental caries is a complex, multifactorial disease process dependent on the presence of oral bacteria, a fermentable carbohydrate substrate and host enamel. A simple NME-intrinsic/milk sugars categorization appears insufficient to capture the complex dietary component of the caries process.

Clinical Implications. Cariogenicity is more likely a function of the food and/or beverage vehicle delivering the sugar and the nature of exposure—that is, frequency and length of eating events—than of the sugar’s categorization.

Key Words: Sugars; caries; diet

Abbreviations: DMFT: Decayed, missing, filled teeth • IFS: Iowa Fluoride Study • NMES: Nonmilk extrinsic sugars.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Stoodley, J. Wefel, A. Gieseke, D. deBeer, and C. von Ohle Biofilm Plaque and Hydrodynamic Effects on Mass Transfer, Fluoride Delivery and Caries J Am Dent Assoc, September 1, 2008; 139(9): 1182 - 1190. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Morio, T. A. Marshall, F. Qian, and T. A. Morgan Comparing diet, oral hygiene and caries status of adult methamphetamine users and nonusers: A pilot study J Am Dent Assoc, February 1, 2008; 139(2): 171 - 176. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]