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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults
Published on: July 16, 2016
[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.
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.
Objective:
To assess the preference for sweetness among preschool children and differences between less and more deprived groups. In addition, to assess whether sweet taste preference was associated with presence of caries.
Methods:
The sample was composed by 572 preschool children aged between 4 and 6, distributed in three day nurseries of varied socioeconomic background. Cross-sectional study developed in two steps. Preference for sweetness was assessed using a modified version of the Sweet Preference Inventory. The solutions varied in sugar concentration from 0 to 1,17 molar (0 to 400 g / litre). The presence of caries was assessed using the defs index. The socioeconomic status of the sample was classified according to the origin of domicile.
Results:
The variation in preference for sweetness in our sample was too small. Most children preferred the sweetest juice. This reduced the ability of this variable to explain variation in caries prevalence. Despite this limitation, our results showed that socioeconomic level influenced preference for sweetness, which in turn was associated with caries prevalence.
Conclusion:
The socioeconomic status influence the sweetness preference and this, in turn, is associated with the dental caries prevalence.
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