Positive association between sugar consumption and dental decay prevalence independent of oral hygiene in pre-school children: a longitudinal prospective study

Abstract

BackgroundFew studies explore how the longitudinal cumulative and combined effects of dietary habits and oral hygiene habits relate to dental decay in very young children.MethodsUsing longitudinal survey data, logistic regression models were specified to predict dental decay by age 5. Predictor variables included questions on diet and oral hygiene from ages 2 to 5.ResultsCompared to mainly eating meals, children who snacked all day but had no real meals had a higher chance of dental decay (odds ratios (OR) = 2.32). There was an incremental association between a decreasing frequency of toothbrushing at age 2 and higher chances of dental decay at age 5 (OR range from 1.39 to 2.17). Among children eating sweets or chocolate more frequently (once/day or more), toothbrushing more often (once/day; twice/day or more) reduced the chance of decay (OR of 2.11–2.26 compared to OR 3.60 for the least frequent brushing group). Compared to mothers in managerial and professional occupations, those who had never worked had children with a much higher chance of decay (OR = 3.47).ConclusionThis study has shown that toothbrushing can only in part attenuate the association between snacking and long term sugar consumption on dental decay outcomes in children under 5.

Young children and snacks – is tooth brushing alone not enough to prevent tooth decay?

“…). Research on snacking and dental health in young children is limited; however, Skafida and Chambers’ () findings are consistent with other studies showing that frequent consumption of high fat, sugars and salt snack foods between meals was associated with an increased risk of tooth decay (Johansson et al . ; Bonotto et al .…”

“…Although it is promising to see that prevalence of tooth decay has improved in recent years in young children, tooth decay continues to be a problem especially in areas of high deprivation. Skafida and Chambers’ () study highlights that good oral hygiene alone may not be enough to combat the effects of frequent consumption of sugary foods and drinks in young children, and that socioeconomic status and snacking play significant roles in dental decay risk. Consistent evidence suggests that dietary sugars are the most important dietary factor in tooth decay development, particularly in terms of both frequency and amount of consumption (SACN ).…”

“…Therefore, the potential variation in definition of snack foods needs to be carefully considered when interpreting the results regarding the impact of different eating patterns explored in this study (Miller et al . ; Skafida & Chambers ).…”

“…Overall, the study by Skafida and Chambers () demonstrated that teeth brushing does not fully protect against the negative effect of frequent and long‐term consumption of snack foods/drinks high in free sugars on dental health in children under 5 years, and that parental socioeconomic status and a dietary pattern that includes frequent snacking were significant risk factors in tooth decay development. The results are in line with previous longitudinal studies showing that dietary habits in the early years can have a significantly detrimental effect on children's dental health in the early years, and that children from families of low socioeconomic status are at higher risk of tooth decay compared to those from high socioeconomic backgrounds (Winter et al .…”

“…'Snack foods' are often characterised as energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods high in fat, sugars and/or salt, such as biscuits, cakes and crisps, but can include healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables. Therefore, the potential variation in definition of snack foods needs to be carefully considered when interpreting the results regarding the impact of different eating patterns explored in this study (Miller et al 2013;Skafida & Chambers 2017).…”