title: Mothers' taste perceptions and their preschool children's dental caries experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study's purpose was to determine the caries experiences of preschool children whose mothers exhibited various genetic taste sensitivities to sweet foods, as reflected by their ability to taste the chemical 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 38 healthy two- to three-year-old preschool children and their mothers was selected. Data regarding maternal demographics and children's oral hygiene practices were obtained by questionnaires. Children received oral clinical examinations. Mothers received a PROP test to determine their taste type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty mothers were PROP supertasters (disliking sweet food), and 18 mothers were PROP nontasters (liking sweet food). Children of nontaster mothers were found to have a greater prevalence of dental caries and a greater number of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (dmfs) of maxillary anterior teeth than those of supertaster mothers (P<.05). Children of nontaster mothers whose grandparents reportedly lived in the same household had increased dmfs vs. those without grandparents in the household (P<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of dental caries in two- to three-year-old-children was significantly greater in children of mothers who couldn't taste the chemical 6-n-propylthiouracil than those of mothers who could. A mother's PROP type could be an important variable related to the caries experience of preschool children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Preventive Sciences, College of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Abrar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alanzi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbial Pathogenesis and Division of Pediatric Dentistry, at the School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Md., USA.
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minah
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry, at the School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Md., USA.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catalanotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Smell and Taste, College of Dentistry, at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bartoshuk
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Md., USA. ntinanoff@umaryland.edu.
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tinanoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility / Q000502:physiology; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D011441:Propylthiouracil; D013649:Taste / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D014100:Toothpastes; D011441:Propylthiouracil; D005459:Fluorides