Chapter 8: Milk, Yoghurts and Dental Caries

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Nutrition Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Milk is a dietary staple post-weaning, with bovine milk being predominant.
• Previous reviews suggest milk has very low cariogenicity and potential caries-protective effects.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated a
• Purpose_of_the_Study

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of bovine milk and milk products like yogurt on dental caries.
• To synthesize evidence regarding milk's cariogenicity and protective potential.
• To assess the impact of milk components and consumption patterns on dental health.

Main Methods:

• Review of epidemiological studies (observational and interventional).
• Analysis of animal experiments, plaque pH studies, and in vitro/in vivo enamel/dentine experiments.
• Consideration of existing literature and reviews on milk and dental caries.

Main Results:

• Multiple study types indicate milk consumption is associated with lower caries experience.
• Epidemiological studies, adjusted for confounders, support a reduced risk of dental caries with milk intake.
• Lactose's lower acidogenicity and the presence of calcium, phosphate, proteins, and fats contribute to milk's protective properties.

Conclusions:

• Bovine milk and plain yogurt exhibit low cariogenicity and may offer protection against dental caries.
• Milk's protective effects are attributed to its composition, including calcium, phosphate, proteins, and fats.
• Adding sucrose to milk increases caries risk, highlighting the importance of plain milk consumption for dental health.