Diet and dental caries in preschool children

A study was carried out in two New Zealand cities with a fluoridated water supply, to look at the dietary habits of preschool children and to investigate whether any dietary factors or other variables are associated with dental decay in the deciduous teeth of these children. From a final study of 355 (a 59% response rate), demographic data, a dental examination, a series of three 24 h recalls over a period of 1 year, and a food frequency questionnaire to cover the same 1 year interval were collected. The sample included 93 children with dental decay and 262 caries-free children, matched for age, sex and sociodemographic variables. The energy and nutrient intakes of the preschool children were sufficient to support normal growth. The main sources of dietary energy in the diets of this study group came from bakery and dairy products. Boys had slightly higher mean intakes of most nutrients than girls. No significant differences were found in the food patterns or intakes of macronutrients between the children of this study group with caries and those without. There was an inverse relationship between social background and dental health, with increasing social advantage being associated with decreasing dental health problems. Syrup medicines and, in particular, antibiotic syrups independently increased the risk that a child would have a number of carious lesions, especially if taken frequently.