Citation: White GE. Oral Health: A Window into General Health

Abstract Dental caries and periodontal diseases are more important to general health than previously thought. These diseases are diet related as are obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases. A similar diet seems to have a central role in all of these diseases. Since dental caries in children can be seen at an early age, it should serve as warning to all concerned practitioners as this patient ate the wrong diet for both dental and general health. convincing evidence, collectively from human intervention studies, epidemiological studies, animal studies and experimental studies for an association between the amount and frequency of free sugars intake and dental caries. Fluoride reduces caries risk but has not eliminated dental caries They continue by stating that for countries with high consumption levels of sugar it is recommended that national health authorizes and decision makers formulate country specific and community specific goals for reducing the amount of free sugars aiming towards the recommended maximum of no more than 10% of energy intake. In addition, the frequency of consumption of foods containing free sugars should be limited to a maximum of 4 times per day A systematic review of studies in humans was conducted to update evidence on the association between the amount of sugars intake and dental caries and on the effect of restricting sugars intake to <10% and <5% energy on caries. Data sources included MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and South African Department of Health. The conclusion was there is evidence of moderate quality showing that caries is lower when free-sugars intake is <10% energy. With the <5% energy cut-off, a significant relationship was observed, but the evidence was judged to be of very low quality. These findings are relevant to minimizing caries risk throughout the life course Sheiham and James examined the optimum intake of sugar and found that re-evaluating the dose-response relationship between sugar and caries is a robust log-linear relationship of caries to sugar intakes from 0% to 10%E sugar. New analyses show that sugar intakes should be <3% energy to minimize the disability and cost of dental caries. A 5%E sugar intake should be considered as a maximum even with the use of fluoridated water and fluoridated toothpaste. The findings from this study indicate that current approaches to controlling dental caries are failing to prevent high levels of caries in adults in all countries and this relates to current high level of sugar intake across the globe. Thus, for multiple reasons, including obesity and diabetes prevention, we need to adopt a new and radical policy of progressive sugar reduction These same dietary behaviors are also related to systemic disease