Causal Relationship of Sugar and Dental Caries: A Review

Dental caries is the most common of all chronic diseases in industrial and in most lower income countries. Although the prevalence and severity of dental caries have decreased substantially in the past two decades, this largely preventable disease is still common, increases significantly with age, and remains a public health problem. Sugars are recognised as by far the most important dietary factor in the development of dental caries and there is a clear understanding of the biology of the process of enamel dissolution induced by acid fermented products of sugars by the action of bacteria. It has been accepted that sugar intake is the primary cause of dental caries with variations in the incidence and prevalence reflecting the impact of the above modifying factors, the usual caveats relating potentially to unknown causes do not apply because there is no other mechanism for inducing caries.