Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
Sugar intake, taste changes and dental health in Crohn's disease
Tatjana Schütz1, Clemens Drude, Erika Paulisch
1Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Universitätsklinikum Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Deutschland. elke-tatjana.schuetz@charite.de
Background:
An increased intake of sucrose has been reported in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Since subclinical zinc deficiency reduces taste perception for sweet, we investigated taste perception, sucrose intake and plasma zinc levels as well as dental status in CD patients.
Methods:
Carbohydrate intake and plasma zinc levels were assessed in 24 CD patients and 24 age-matched controls (Con). Taste threshold for sucrose, oral hygiene and caries prevalence were evaluated.
Results:
In CD a higher sucrose intake (CD 107.1 +/- 27.7 vs. Con 71.9 +/- 13.7 g/day; p < 0.001), a higher taste threshold for sweet (CD 7.31 vs. Con 2.91 g/l; p < 0.001) and lower plasma zinc levels (CD 11.5 +/- 1.5 vs. Con 13.5 +/- 2.0 micromol/l; p < 0.001) were found. API was poor (CD 85.4 +/- 23.6, Con 31.8 +/- 24.1, p < 0.001) and correlated with sucrose intake (p < 0.01). Caries prevalence was increased in patients with longer disease (>3 years) (DMFT index: >3 years 15.6 +/- 5.7 vs. <3 years 9.5 +/- 4.3; p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Dental status in CD patients is poor. Both increased sugar consumption and insufficient oral hygiene seem to cause the higher caries prevalence. Obviously, patients with CD belong to a high-risk group, and preventive measures should be taken early in the course of the disease.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the colonic...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...
Taste Buds and Receptors
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
The Oral Microbiota

