Significance of diet Flashcards
what are free sugars
- sugars which are not contained within the cellular structure of the food
- for example, when fruits are made into fruit juices, sugars leave the cellular structures and become free sugars which are cariogenic
- lipid in dairy products are within cell structures so don’t tend to cause caries
what are the recommended daily sugar intakes?
adult (+11): 30g/day
7-10: 24g
4-6: 19g
- however, sugar intake is much higher with teens (11-18) consuming 74.2g / day on avg, mostly coming from soft drinks
what are the standard and enhanced advice on dietary intake of children to prevent caries
standard: give dietary advice once a year, eg. only water and milk between meals
enhanced (those at risk): provide dietary advice on every visit, provide action plan if necessary
state the erosion danger zones on the pH scale
- enamel starts to erode at pH of 5.5
- erosion safe zone is pH of 7
what are some other aspects to be aware of?
- sugar-free or no added sugar doesn’t acc mean sugar-free, check for ‘ose’ in the ingredients list
- milk alternatives normally have added sugar
- opt for cheese to neutralise acid
is there a link between diet and oral cancers
- oral cancer is the 8th most common cause of cancer in the UK
- clear link between diet n oral cancers
- alcohol and smoking significantly increases the risk
what influences dietary change in people?
- awareness (knowledge and education)
- access and availability
- acceptability (cultural norms)
- affordability (value for money)
why should patients be advised on dietary info before natural tooth are removed?
- limited ability to chew after natural teeth are removed
what can dentists do?
- advocacy role (support)
- signpost - credible source of info
- brief intervention (explain the risks)
- provide written advice
- refer to a dietician or other healthcare professionals or advice
