Early introduction of sucrose is associated with the presence of dental caries in infants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7308/aodontol/2019.55.e12Keywords:
Infant food, Dental caries, Child, SucroseAbstract
Aim: This study investigated the moment of introduction of sucrose in the feeding of babies and the presence of dental caries.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted with a sample of 50 parents/guardians and their children, including 25 female and 25 male, with a age mean of 27 months (minimum-maximum ages: 7-48 months). Data collection was performed by a researcher and by students enrolled in the Discipline “Dentistry for babies” at the UFMG School of Dentistry. The parents/guardians of the children answered a questionnaire regarding their socioeconomic and demographic status and the age when certain foods were introduced into the children’s diets. The presence of dental caries was collected through the analysis of data in the medical charts of the patients who underwent clinical examination, prophylaxis, and tooth drying with compressed air, considering the presence of white spot lesions, cavitated carious lesions, and the presence of restorations. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were also performed (p < 0.05).
Results: Children had a mean age of 27 months, of which 50% were male. Breastfeeding of 46% of the children was exclusive. It was found that 98% of the children consumed sucrose in some type of food before 2 years of age, 88% before 1 year, and 34% before 6 months. The introduction of sucrose before 6 months showed a significant association with dental caries. The foods that contain sucrose most often introduced into the diet of children before 1 year of age were white sugar, sweet cookies, cake, gelatin, fresh milk of petit suisse type, yogurt, fermented milk with live lactobacilli, and bread.
Conclusion: The introduction of sucrose into children’s diets was early and was significantly associated with the presence of dental caries. Therefore, there is a need to provide information on food education and to provide individualized dental care.
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References
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