Abstract
The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis about differences in sweet taste perception in the group of preschool children with and without caries, and to determine its relationship with cariogenic microbiota and the frequency of sweets consumption in children. The study group included of 63 children aged 2–6 years: 32 with caries and 31 without caries. The study consisted of collecting questionnaire data and assessment of dental status using the decayed, missing, filled in primary teeth index (dmft) and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II). The evaluation of sweet taste perception was carried out using a specific method that simultaneously assessed the level of taste preferences and the sensitivity threshold for a given taste. The microbiological analysis consisted of the assessment of the quantitative and qualitative compositions of the oral microbiota of the examined children. The sweet taste perception of children with caries was characterized by a lower susceptibility to sucrose (the preferred sucrose solution concentration was >4 g/L) compared to children without caries (in the range ≤ 4 g/L, p = 0.0015, chi-square test). A similar relationship was also observed for frequent snacking between meals (p = 0.0038, chi-square test). The analysis of studied variables showed the existence of a strong positive correlation between the perception of sweet taste and the occurrence and intensity of the cariogenic process (p = 0.007 for dmft; and p = 0.012 for ICDAS II), as well as the frequency of consuming sweets (p ≤ 0.001 for frequent and repeated consumption of sweets during the day, Spearman test) in children with caries. Additionally, children with an elevated sucrose taste threshold were more than 10-times more likely to develop S. mutans presence (OR = 10.21; 95% CI 3.11–33.44). The results of this study suggest the future use of taste preferences in children as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of increased susceptibility to caries through microbial dysbiosis towards specific species of microorganisms.
Highlights
IntroductionIts key causes include poor eating habits, in particular frequent consumption of sugars, which are metabolized by oral microorganisms, e.g., S. mutans, that take part in the formation of cariogenic biofilms [1]
Oral health is an integral part of overall health and wellness
The results obtained in this study indicate the presence of specific bacterial profiles and the prevalence of cariogenic species such as S. mutans or C. albicans in children with lower sensitivity to sweet taste, who develop caries
Summary
Its key causes include poor eating habits, in particular frequent consumption of sugars, which are metabolized by oral microorganisms, e.g., S. mutans, that take part in the formation of cariogenic biofilms [1]. The development of the disease involving the perception of a sweet taste, which affects the frequency of sugar consumption, and a greater predisposition to caries in early childhood, is of importance [2]. Available studies show that proper nutrition of mothers during pregnancy, lactation, and in the first years of the child’s life ensures adequate weight gain and optimal nutritional status, and influences the long-term effects of the so-called health ‘programming’ of the metabolism, conditioning proper future health, of the oral cavity [3,4]
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