Role of sugar and sugar substitutes in dental caries: a review.
Dental caries is a chronic disease which can affect us at any age. The term "caries" denotes both the disease process and its consequences, that is, the damage caused by the disease process. Dental caries has a multifactorial aetiology in which there is interplay of three principal factors: the host (saliva and teeth), the microflora (plaque), and the substrate (diet), and a fourth factor: time. The role of sugar (and other fermentable carbohydrates such as highly refined flour) as a risk factor in the initiation and progression of dental caries is overwhelming. Whether this initial demineralization proceeds to clinically detectable caries or whether the lesion is remineralized by plaque minerals depends on a number of factors, of which the amount and frequency of further sugars consumption are of utmost importance. This paper reviews the role of sugar and sugar substitutes in dental caries.
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Dasmesh Institute of Research and Dental Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab, India.
Prahlad
P
Gupta
Department of Prosthodontics, Dasmesh Institute of Research and Dental Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab 151203, India.
Nidhi
N
Gupta
Department of Oral Pathology, Aditya Dental College, Beed, Maharashtra 431122, India.
Atish Prakash
AP
Pawar
Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College and Hospital, Bhimavaram 534 202, India.
Smita Shrishail
SS
Birajdar
Department of Orthodontics, Dasmesh Institute of Research and Dental Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab, India.
Amanpreet Singh
AS
Natt
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Dasmesh Institute of Research and Dental Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab, India.
Harkanwal Preet
HP
Singh