Why How Often Patients Eat Matters More Than They Think
Understanding the Stephan curve, oral pH changes, and the cariogenic properties of foods can help clinicians deliver more effective nutritional counseling and reduce patients’ caries risk.
According to the Stephan curve, what is the critical oral pH level at which enamel demineralization begins?
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Research by Robert Stephan demonstrated that enamel demineralization begins when oral pH falls below 5.5. Following consumption of fermentable carbohydrates, oral bacteria produce acids that rapidly lower pH to this critical threshold.
Which sugar is considered the most cariogenic because it helps oral bacteria produce glucans that enhance biofilm adherence to enamel?
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Sucrose is the most cariogenic dietary sugar because oral bacteria, particularly Streptococcus mutans, use it to create glucans that promote bacterial attachment and biofilm formation on tooth surfaces.
Which of the following patient habits presents the greatest caries risk?
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Caries risk is strongly influenced by the frequency of carbohydrate exposure. Multiple eating events repeatedly lower oral pH and prolong the time teeth spend in a demineralizing environment, making frequent snacking more harmful than consuming the same amount of carbohydrate at one time.
