Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 1435-1440, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Food cariogenicity in Americans aged from 9 to 29 years assessed in a national cross-sectional survey, 1971-74
A. I. Ismail
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the
probability of having high DMFT scores and reported consumption of eight
food groups. The sample included Americans (aged from 9 to 29 years)
examined during the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
conducted between 1971 and 1974. Analysis was restricted to comparing those
individuals having DMFT scores equal to or above the 80th percentile of the
DMFT distribution with those having scores equal to or below the 20th
percentile of the distribution. The strongest discriminator between the
low- and high-DMFT groups was the between-meal consumption of table sugars
and syrups. The between-meal consumption of sugary desserts was also
significantly associated with high DMFT scores. Foods to which table sugars
are usually added before consumption, such as coffee, chocolate, and tea
drinks, were associated with high DMFT scores in the bivariate analysis.
When the same-day consumption of table sugars and syrups was accounted for,
the associations became nonsignificant. The reported consumption of
breakfast cereals, bread, fruit juices, ice cream, and nuts and crackers
was not associated with high DMFT scores, perhaps because they were
consumed only infrequently.
