DIET AND NUTRITION TO PREVENT DENTAL PROBLEMS

Course overview

DENTAL CARIES IS A DYNAMIC PROCESS THAT INVOLVES SUSCEPTIBLE TOOTH SURFACES, CARIOGENIC BACTERIA LIKE STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS OR LACTOBACILLUS AND A FERMENTABLE CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE. FERMENTABLE CARBOHYDRATES ARE PRIMARILY SUCROSE, BUT ALL CARBOHYDRATES ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED CARIOGENIC. OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS SALIVARY GLAND HYPOFUNCTION, LACK OF MOTIVATION FOR MAINTAINING ORAL HYGIENE, SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, PARENTING PRACTICES, GENETICS, AMONG OTHER FACTORS, PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DENTAL DISEASE. FREQUENT CONSUMPTION OF CARBOHYDRATES IN THE FORM OF SIMPLE SUGARS INCREASES THE RISK OF DENTAL CARIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES OF DENTAL DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE PREVENTION OF CAVITIES THROUGH CHANGES IN DIET.