Dental caries dietary factors

Fluorine is available to humans, plants and animals mainly in the form of fluoride ion (F ). Body fluoride status depends on numerous factors, including the total amount of fluoride ingested daily, its bioavailability and metabolism. The adequate intake (Al) of fluoride from all sources is set by the Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of the Dietary Reference Intakes at 0.05 mg/day/kg body weight this intake is recommended for all ages above 6 months, because it confers a high level of protection against dental caries and is not associated with any known unwanted health effects [8]. 

Excessive oral fructose consumption (>75g daily) in the absence of dietary dextrose in any form (e.g., sucrose, starch, dextrin, etc.) may cause malabsorption in susceptible individuals, which may result in flatulence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Except in patients with hereditary fructose intolerance, there is no evidence to indicate that oral fructose intake at current levels is a risk factor in any particular disease, other than dental caries. ... 

A simplified description of the etiology of dental caries involves metabolism of sugars by oral microorganisms to acids which gradually dissolve tooth enamel. However, it is now recognized that a number of dietary factors and nutrient interactions can modify the expression of dental caries (Herod, 1991). The cariogenic potential of food is infiuenced by its composition, texture, solubility, retentiveness, and ability to stimulate saliva flow (Morrissey et al, 1984). 

Fluoride supplements are recommended by medical societies in some countries for caries prevention, especially if the concentration of fluoride in drinking water is low. It is likely that past use of dietary fluoride supplements has been a prime factor in the increased prevalence of dental fluorosis, a relationship which may stem from the days when fluoride supplement schedules were higher than they are today [11]. Table 7 shows a fluoride supplement dosage schedule that was approved for U.S. and Canadian children by the American Dental Association and Canadian Paediatric Society [8] and a fluoride supplement dosage schedule approved by German Nutrition Society, Austrian Nutrition Society, Swiss Society for Nutrition Research and Swiss Nutrition Association [165]. 

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