Development of a pediatric cariogenicity index

This study was designed to develop food and liquid cariogenicity indices and to preliminarily test their utility using dietary data from a study of children with and without severe early childhood caries (S-ECC), defined as 3 + smooth surface carious lesions, including at least one pulpally involved tooth.

Data were collected in a diverse cohort of low-income preschool-aged children made up of 454 children with S-ECC and 429 caries-free children who presented for care at pediatric dental clinics in Washington, DC, Columbus, OH, and Cincinnati, OH. The cariogenicity indices were used to score dietary data from a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a 24-hour recall (24HR).

There were no statistically significant differences in mean food cariogenicity scores between groups. The liquid cariogenicity score was higher in the S-ECC group as compared with caries-free children (24HR: 5.28 versus 4.66, respectively, P < 0.001; FFQ: 5.03 versus 4.38, P < 0.001). The food cariogenicity score did not discriminate between those with and without S-ECC, while the liquid cariogenicity score did differentiate between the two groups (24HR: OR: 1.2; 95 percent CI: 1.1, 1.3; FFQ: 1.7; 95 percent CI 1.4, 2.0). The liquid cariogenicity score was also associated with number of carious lesions.

The liquid cariogenicity index has potential in research and clinical settings to provide a liquid cariogenicity score and help quickly identify modifiable risk factors within a child's diet. Further research is needed to test its utility in clinical and public health settings.