Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the sweetness taste preference levels and their relationship with the nutritional and dental caries patterns among preschool children. Material and Methods: The participants of this cross-sectional study were 191 children aged 4 to 5 years, who were regularly attending public Child Education Centers of a city southern Brazil. Children’s preference for sugar was evaluated by the Sweet Preference Inventory; caries prevalence, according to the World Health Organization criteria, and nutritional status, by anthropometric weight and stature measurements, in accordance with child growth standards of the World Health Organization. Results: High levels of sweetness preference were identified. The majority of children (67.5%) opted for the most concentrated sucrose solutions. Excess weight was recorded in 27.7% of the preschoolers. The prevalence of caries was 51.8%, with the mean dmf-t equal to 1.92 (± 2.72) and the decayed (c) component responsible for 94.2% of the index. No significant association between sweetness preference and the nutritional or the oral health patterns could be established. In addition, no association between excess weight and dental caries was identified. The diseases studied were only associated with sociodemographic variables. Excess weight was associated with maternal age (p=0.004) and caries experience with family income (p=0.013). Conclusion: No significant associations could be stablished between the sweetness taste preference and the diseases studied, nor between excess weight and dental caries. However, the findings of high patterns of sweet preference, excess weight and untreated caries experience, highlight the need for the implementation of integrated public policies aimed at controlling both nutritional and of oral health problems in the studied population.
Highlights
The global epidemic of child obesity affects all regions of the world, including countries where undernutrition is still common [1]
No significant associations could be stablished between the sweetness taste preference and the diseases studied, nor between excess weight and dental caries
The diseases resulting from it and dental caries have in diet an important etiologic component in common, since both the amount and frequency of sucrose are important factors involved in their etiology [4]
Summary
The global epidemic of child obesity affects all regions of the world, including countries where undernutrition is still common [1]. The weight of one in three Brazilian children is above that recommended by the Ministry of Health [2]. In the field of Dentistry, in spite of the decline in dental caries prevalence in many countries, a Brazilian child, at 5 years of age, has a mean number of 2.43 teeth with caries experience [3]. The diseases resulting from it and dental caries have in diet an important etiologic component in common, since both the amount and frequency of sucrose are important factors involved in their etiology [4]. According to the WHO, increased sugar intake may be related to unhealthy diet and the increase in the risk of various diseases, such as overweight, obesity, dental caries and other non-communicable chronic diseases [5]
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