[Taste preference for sweets and caries prevalence in preschool children]

N E Tomita1, P Nadanovsky, A L Vieira

  • 1Departamento de Odontopediatria, Ortodontia e Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru da Universidadede São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brasil.

Revista De Saude Publica
|February 26, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Preschool children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Nutritional Science
  • Public Health

Context:

  • Socioeconomic disparities significantly impact preschool children's dietary habits and oral health.
  • Understanding sweet taste preference is crucial for addressing early childhood caries (ECC).

Purpose:

  • To investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status, sweet taste preference, and dental caries in preschool children.
  • To identify differences in sweet taste preference between children from varying socioeconomic backgrounds.

Summary:

  • A cross-sectional study of 572 preschoolers (ages 4-6) assessed sweet taste preference and caries (using the defs index).
  • Results indicated that while most children preferred sweet tastes, socioeconomic status influenced this preference, which was subsequently linked to caries prevalence.

Impact:

  • Findings highlight the role of socioeconomic factors in shaping sweet taste preferences and their association with dental caries in young children.
  • Informs targeted public health interventions for oral disease prevention in vulnerable populations.
Abstract

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