Introduction

Nutrition and oral health are intimately linked. Diet and its nutritional consequences can have a profound influence on tooth development and maintenance and on the development and progression of diseases of the oral cavity. Likewise, oral infectious diseases, as well as other diseases with oral manifestations, may influence diet and nutritional status.1

The role of diet in oral health is twofold. First, food and its nutrients contribute to the health of the mouth as well as to overall health. Eating a balanced and varied diet as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid provides a foundation for maintaining oral health and achieving overall health. Second, eating habits have a direct effect on dental caries. The ability of various carbohydrate-containing foods to contribute to dental caries depends on how well it adheres to the tooth surface and how frequently it is consumed. Since carbohydrates should provide for more than half of the total energy requirements for children and adults, it is both unrealistic and undesirable to eliminate sugars and starches. However, the types of carbohydrates and the frequency at which they are consumed can be adjusted to reduce the risk of dental caries.