title: The effect of nutrition and diet on dental structure integrity.
abstract: Nutritional intake and dietary habits affect the structural integrity of the primary and permanent dentition. This happens through the indirect effect of nutrition on tooth development, as well as through the direct effect associated with the erosive characteristics of the diet. Evaluation of a patient's dietary history, coupled with the ability to implement targeted educational strategies relevant to the individual's ethnicity, will ensure success of normal tooth development and dental structure integrity free of erosive effects.
authors.affiliation: Veterans' Administration Hospital, Palo Alto, Calif, USA.
authors.forename: Randy Q
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Ligh
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fridgen
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saxton
mesh_terms: D000566:Amelogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000209:etiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000172:deficiency; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D014074:Tooth Calcification / Q000502:physiology; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients