The effects of reduced sucrose intake on the formation and composition of dental plaque in a group of men in the Antarctic

Sucrose was omitted from the diet of a group of 19 men over a period of 14 weeks, and replaced by glucose syrup and calcium cyclamate. Dental plaque was assessed fortnightly, and samples were taken for analysis. The subjects refrained from any oral hygiene procedures for 3 days before each examination. The extent of plaque rose to a peak at 6–10 weeks, then fell, until by 14 weeks it had declined to a significantly lower level than on the normal sucrose-containing diet. No such pattern was discernible during a similar period on the normal diet. Compared with the normal diet, the low-sucrose diet produced plaque containing significantly more soluble carbohydrate, but there was no significant difference in total insoluble carbohydrate, or in soluble “levan”. Levels of soluble calcium in the plaque were similar on both regimes, but the low-sucrose plaque contained significantly more phosphorus than the normal plaque