Effect of Certain Dietary Sugars on Hamster Caries ,

Abstract

The comparative effect of various dietary sugars on hamster dental caries was studied. A strain of hamster which does not normally present caries unless infected with a cariogenic organism was inoculated with AHT-type human cariogenic streptococcus and fed diets high in either sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose or a glucose-fructose mixture. All of the sugars tested supported caries, but the total caries scores varied from a statistical zero at 100 days on the basal diet (no added carbohydrate) to a high score on sucrose. Sucrose was the most cariogenic sugar tested — or at least supported the most rapidly progressive carious process. Given sufficient time fructose, lactose and glucose — in decreasing order of activity — also supported dental destruction under this experimental regime. High dietary sucrose was not essential for the development of periodontal lesions or of microbial deposits along the gingival margin of the tooth (gingival plaque). Microbial deposits on the tooth crown (coronal plaque), however, formed primarily on the sucrose diet. The formation of large amounts of coronal plaque was not essential to carious attack upon the smooth surfaces of the tooth. Apparently sugars other than sucrose were also capable of supporting smooth surface caries.