Dietary Advice Flashcards
What are the three most important factors in caries control?
-Plaque control
-Use of fluoride
-Dietary modification
What factors would put a patient at high risk for caries?
Hugh sugar intake
Inadequate brushing habits
No fluoride exposure
Irregular dental attendance
Medically compromised
Xerostomia
What are investigations required for patient with caries?
Diet analysis
Investigation of fluoride intake
Medical History
Bitewing Radiographs
What are dietary factors associated with caries incidence?
Amount of fermentable carbohydrate eaten
Sugar concentration of food
Physical form of carbohydrate
Oral retentiveness
Frequency of eating meals and snacks
What is the Stephan curve?
Graph that shows what happens after the consumption of sugar in relation to dental caries
What are examples of carbohydrates that can cause caries?
Sucrose
Fructose
Glucose
Maltose
What needs to be recorded in a diet record?
Time, content and the amount of food and drink consumed
Why are sugary drinks consumed immediately before bed highly significant?
Salivary flow is reduced during sleep therefore clearance time is greater
What advice would you gibe to patients after you review their dietary sheet?
Reduce snacks containing sugar
Avoid adding sugars
Don’t eat or drink after brushing at night
Avoid food before bedtime
Save sweets for special time of the week
How long can damage to the teeth last for after sugary intake?
Up to 1 hour
What is dental erosion?
The loss of the tooth surface by a chemical process that does not involve bacterial action
What is extrinsic erosion?
Caused by acid originating outside the body ( in drinks). Generally acid strength will be pH 2.5 or weaker
What is intrinsic erosion?
Erosion due to stomach acid reaching teeth, with pH of 1. This is 100x stronger than extrinsic and is much more destructive
What is titratable acidity?
Number of hydrogen ions available for erosive attack, rather than pH
What is the worst type of acid?
Citric
