Effect of variation in dietary sucrose intake on plaque removal by mechanical means

The influence of dietary sucrose on the rate of plaque formation was investigated for 22 dental personnel. The subjects were instructed to continue their normal oral hygiene procedures throughout the study period. It was found that an increase in the frequency of sucrose intake resulted in an enhancement of plaque deposition and an increase in gingival inflammation. The restriction of dietary sucrose for this group of subjects had a minimal effect on either plaque retention or levels of gingival inflammation; this result might have been caused by the habitual diet of these particular subjects being relatively low in sugar. The results of this study would suggest that an assessment of sucrose intake of patients might be appropriate when planning an oral hygiene programme, consideration being given to modifying the diet as an aid to plaque removal for individuals having a relatively high intake.