Glucose taste thresholds in cariesfree naval recruits

Glucose taste detection thresholds were determined in 41 cariesfree recruits and 53 recruits with caries experience. Cariesfree detection thresholds ranged from 5 to 45 mM/liter, with a mean of 13.4 +/- 1.7 whereas that of the control group ranged from 5 to 50 mM/liter with a mean of 22.3 +/- 1.7 (P less than 0.01). A Kilmogorov-Smirnov two-sample test demonstrated a significant difference in the distribution of thresholds between the two groups (P less than 0.01). These observations are in accordance with previous studies demonstrating that cariesfree recruits display lower sucrose taste detection thresholds than recruits with caries experience.