title: Comparison of the source of introduction to cariogenic food substance and caries prevalence in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental caries being a multi-factorial disease depends on lot of factors. Since awareness and exposure seems to have increased, in the present scenario it is difficult to assume that one particular source would increase the occurrence of dental caries. Children are exposed to different media sources and spend most of their free time watching them. They are attracted by messages of advertisers' and susceptible to stylish advertisements of foods often harmful to oral and general health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of three different sources of introduction to cariogenic food substance among school children and their role in caries prevalence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 300 school children were selected for the study and a questionnaire was prepared keeping in mind the various sources introducing cariogenic foods to children namely television advertisement, magazines/news paper, posters/banners. Following which oral examination will be done to determine the number of carious lesions in the subjects. The data will be acquired, computed and statistically analysed to compare the correlation between these sources and caries prevalence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children who watched television advertisements and asked for food items and soft drinks were found to have more caries and DMFT/dmft index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A total ban on advertisements would not be practically possible. A more realistic approach would be to limit the number of advertisements that feature potentially cariogenic and unhealthy food products, and also ensure that they ideally carry statutory warnings.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Dr. MGR Educational and Reserch Institute University , Chennai, India .
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Dr. MGR Educational and Reserch Institute University , Chennai, India .
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Rangeeth
authors.affiliation: Professor & Head of Department, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Dr. MGR Educational and Reserch Institute University , Chennai, India .
authors.forename: Joyson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Dr. MGR Educational and Reserch Institute University , Chennai, India .
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivakumar
keywords: Advertisement; Caries; Children; Food Purchase; Oral Health; Television