Healthy and cariogenic foods consumption and dental caries: A preschool-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of the consumption of healthy and cariogenic foods with the prevalence of untreated dental caries among preschool children. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 427 5-year-old preschoolers. Caries was evaluated through a clinical examination using dmft index. Parents/guardians answered a questionnaire addressing socioeconomic status, eating frequency, and oral hygiene habits. RESULTS The prevalence of untreated caries was 51%. The multiple models demonstrated a seven percent increase in the prevalence of untreated caries with each additional daily contact with cariogenic foods, whereas a four percent reduction in this prevalence rate was found for each additional contact with healthy foods. When the number of daily contacts with cariogenic and healthy foods was incorporated into the same model, the former reached only borderline statistical significance (p = 0.05), whereas the latter maintained an association with lower caries rates (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION A dietary assessment based solely on the frequency of the consumption of cariogenic foods may not be sufficient to understand the occurrence of dental caries in preschool children. It is necessary a more comprehensive evaluation of the dietary pattern, once a healthy diet can present an association with lower prevalence of caries even among preschool children who consume cariogenic foods.