Food cariogenicity in Americans aged from 9 to 29 years assessed in a national cross-sectional survey, 1971-74.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the probability of having high DMFT scores and reported consumption of eight food groups. The sample included Americans (aged from 9 to 29 years) examined during the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1971 and 1974. Analysis was restricted to comparing those individuals having DMFT scores equal to or above the 80th percentile of the DMFT distribution with those having scores equal to or below the 20th percentile of the distribution. The strongest discriminator between the low- and high-DMFT groups was the between-meal consumption of table sugars and syrups. The between-meal consumption of sugary desserts was also significantly associated with high DMFT scores. Foods to which table sugars are usually added before consumption, such as coffee, chocolate, and tea drinks, were associated with high DMFT scores in the bivariate analysis. When the same-day consumption of table sugars and syrups was accounted for, the associations became nonsignificant. The reported consumption of breakfast cereals, bread, fruit juices, ice cream, and nuts and crackers was not associated with high DMFT scores, perhaps because they were consumed only infrequently.