Caries Res 2017;51:443-450
Abstract
Dietary habits and, in particular, the intake frequency
of sucrose are of major importance for the development of dental caries.
The perception of sweet taste is believed to have an influence on
sucrose intake and therefore affects the predisposition to dental
caries. The aim was to study the caries experience and sweet taste
perception and to further analyze the possible relationship between the 2
tested variables in 13- to 15-year-old children from 3 different
geographical areas. A cross-sectional survey comprising 669 children
(220 Italian, 224 Mexican, and 225 Saudi Arabian) was conducted. The
children were examined in their school setting. A sweet taste perception
level was determined by the sweet taste threshold (TT) and sweet taste
preference (TP). The sweet test was performed with sucrose solutions
varying in concentration from 1.63 to 821.52 g/L. The International
Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and DMFS indices were
used to diagnose caries. The highest mean value for TT was found for
Italian children followed by Saudi and Mexican. Saudi schoolchildren
showed the highest mean values for TP and DMFS, followed by Italian and
Mexican. A statistically significant difference for TP, TT, DMFS, and
initial caries was found between the 3 countries. A weak yet positive
correlation was found between taste perception (TT and TP) versus DMFS
and manifest caries in all 3 countries (
r = 0.137-0.313). The
findings of the present study showed a variation in sweet taste
perception between the 3 countries, which may influence the caries
outcome of the children in the individual countries.
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