Vegetarian children and dental erosion.

Abstract

There have been recent changes in teenage lifestyle and diet. The increasing consumption of soft drinks and foods containing significant acidic components may play a role in the development of dental erosion. The aims of this investigation were firstly to assess the prevalence of vegetarian children in a cluster random sample of 14-year-old children in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Secondly, to determine the prevalence of dental erosion in these children, and thirdly, to see if there were any differences between vegetarian and non-vegetarian children in the prevalence of dental erosion and dietary intake. A cluster random sample of 418 14-year-old children (209 males and 209 females) were examined from 12 different schools in Birmingham, United Kingdom; a dietary questionnaire was completed and the levels of tooth wear were recorded using a modification of the (TWI) index. All data were analysed using SPSS with t-test and Chi-square analysis. Significance was accepted at the P < 0.05 level. The results showed that 10% of the children were vegetarian; 52% of them had low dental erosion and 48% moderate dental erosion. Statistically there were no significant differences between vegetarian and non-vegetarian children in the prevalence of erosion; however, there were significant differences in some food and drink consumption. It was concluded that dental erosion is common in teenage children, but there were no significant differences in prevalence between vegetarian and non-vegetarian children.