Sweetness Taste Preference Levels and Their Relationship to the Nutritional and Dental Caries Patterns among Brazilian Preschool Children

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the sweetness taste preference levels and their relationship with the nutritional and dental caries patterns among preschool children. Material and Methods: The participants of this cross-sectional study were 191 children aged 4 to 5 years, who were regularly attending public Child Education Centers of a city southern Brazil. Children's preference for sugar was evaluated by the Sweet Preference Inventory; caries prevalence, according to the World Health Organization criteria, and nutritional status, by anthropometric weight and stature measurements, in accordance with child growth standards of the World Health Organization. Results: High levels of sweetness preference were identified. The majority of children (67.5%) opted for the most concentrated sucrose solutions. Excess weight was recorded in 27.7% of the preschoolers. The prevalence of caries was 51.8%, with the mean dmf-t equal to 1.92 (± 2.72) and the decayed (c) component responsible for 94.2% of the index. No significant association between sweetness preference and the nutritional or the oral health patterns could be established. In addition, no association between excess weight and dental caries was identified. The diseases studied were only associated with sociodemographic variables. Excess weight was associated with maternal age (p=0.004) and caries experience with family income (p=0.013). Conclusion: No significant associations could be stablished between the sweetness taste preference and the diseases studied, nor between excess weight and dental caries. However, the findings of high patterns of sweet preference, excess weight and untreated caries experience, highlight the need for the implementation of integrated public policies aimed at controlling both nutritional and of oral health problems in the studied population.

Sweet Taste Perception and Dental Caries Experience among Preschool Children: A Critical review

“…After the selection process, only three articles were qualified for final analysis [Table 1]. These three studies were reported the United States of America, Brazil, and India respectively [9][10][11]. The sample size of the included studies ranges from 38 to 191 children [9][10][11].…”

“…These three studies were reported the United States of America, Brazil, and India respectively [9][10][11]. The sample size of the included studies ranges from 38 to 191 children [9][10][11]. The study setting involved was the dental clinic [9,11] and educational center [10].…”

“…The sample size of the included studies ranges from 38 to 191 children [9][10][11]. The study setting involved was the dental clinic [9,11] and educational center [10]. The age of children ranges from two-to six years old.…”

“…Thirtyeight preschool children aged 2 to 3 years and their mothers were involved in the American study [9]. While 191 children aged 4 to 5 years were involved in the Brazilian study [10], 119 children from 36 to 71 months were recruited in the Indian study [11]. In the American study [9], participants received clinical examinations, and mothers received a PROP test to assess their mother's taste perception.…”

“…In the American study [9], participants received clinical examinations, and mothers received a PROP test to assess their mother's taste perception. Whereas Sweet Preference Inventory was used to evaluate the taste perception used in the Brazilian study [10], the Indian study [11] used the PROP sensitivity test to assess the inherent genetic ability to taste perception. Nonetheless, due to the variation in age range and methodologies, a metaanalysis of the data was not performed.…”