Abstract

The high incidence of tooth decay, one of the most common diseases found in all age groups, gives a reason for the study of methods to prevent dental caries. Certain dietary factors, specifically carbohydrates, have been implicated in the decay process. Since diet influences both the oral and systemic environments in which the teeth develop, mature, age, and decay (1), many studies have been conducted to determine the effects of oral administration of different carbohydrates on dental caries. The extrinsic effects of diet on the mature erupted tooth have, however, been the major concern of the research (2).

The first demonstration of an intrinsic predisposing effect of diet on the teeth was reported by Sognnaes (5) in 1948, when he failed to develop an appreciable amount of caries in adulthood in rats, monkeys, and hamsters who were fed a high carbohydrate diet in adult life, but whose dietary carbohydrate was restricted during the period of preemption of the teeth.

A relationship between systemic disease and abnormal odontogenesis has been repeatedly demonstrated through clinical and experimental studies (4) but very little information is available regarding influences on fetal dental development. It is possible that certain nutritional or dietary factors during the time of the development of the teeth may exert an influence on the dental caries susceptibility of individuals. An unrecognized mechanism, a nutritional factor or combination of factors operating before the eruption of the teeth, from conception to maturation of the offspring and their individual teeth, appears to influence the caries susceptibility of the teeth (3).

Steinman and Haley show, in their study on the effect of early administration of various carbohydrates, that carbohydrates differ in their ability to produce dental caries in rats (5). It appears that not only the amount but the kind of carbohydrate in the formulae is of importance.

The purpose of this study is to further investigate the carious effect on weanling rats of four different carbohydrates used in infant formulae (lactose, fructose, dextri-maltose and karo).

At the age of 14 days weanlings from caries-susceptible mothers were taken from their mothers and placed on formulae containing 5-55% added lactose, fructose, dextri-maltose or karo. The formulae were identical qualitatively and quantitatively in all their constituents except for the kind of carbohydrate used.

The animals were divided into 4 groups: group I received the lactose formula; group II the fructose formula; group III the dextri-maltose formula; group IV the karo formula.

After seven days on the formulae all animals were weaned and placed on a diet which contained 6% sucrose. Vitamins A and D were given once a week. After 14 weeks on the high sucrose diet the animals were sacrificed and their molars examined, and scored by Shaw's (6) method.

The results of the study showed that animals on the lactose formula had the least dental caries. There was an average score of 11. The animals on the fructose formula had an average score of 14. The difference in the dental scores of fructose and lactose is statistically insignificant. The average score for dextri-maltose and karo formulae were 25 and 54 respectively. All of the rats on the karo formula had decayed teeth.

The results of this study on the preweanling administration of lactose, fructose, dextri-maltose or karo to white rats suggest a lower incidence of dental caries when lactose or fructose are the carbohydrate in the formulae.

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1. Shaw, James H., "Dietary Approaches to the Study of Dental Caries," Journal of American Dietetic Association, 24:181-86.

2. Buxbaum, Jerome, Harris Kiehm, Leah M. Proutt, Robbert H. Oster. "The effect of Diet on the Deposition of Glycoprotein in the Teeth and its Relationship to Dental Caries in the Syrian Hamster," Journal of Dental Research, 36:173-181, 1957.

3. Sognnaes, Reidar F., "Caries-conductive Effect of a Purified diet Fed Rodents During Tooth Development," Journal of American Dental Association, 37:676-92, 1948.

4. Anderson, E. Potts, J. Knox Smith, C. A. Elvehjem, Paul H. Phillips, "Dental Caries in the Cotton Rat, X. The Effect of Fluidity of the Ration," Journal of Nutrition, 35:371-77, 1948.

5. Steinman, R. R., M. I. Haley, "Early Administration of Various Carbohydrates and Subsequent Dental Caries in the Rat," Journal of Dental Research, 36:532-35, 1957.

6. Shaw, James H., B. S. Schweigert, J. M. Mclntire, "Dental Caries in Cotton Rat," Journal of Nutrition, 28:333-45, 1944.

LLU Discipline

Nutrition

Department

Nutrition

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Ruth Little

Second Advisor

Ralph R. Steinman

Third Advisor

Melvin I. Haley

Fourth Advisor

Phyllis Acosta

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1958

Date (Title Page)

6-1958

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Infant Food; Dental Caries

Type

Thesis

Page Count

iii; 34

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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