Association between the Severity of Dental Caries and the Degree of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in the Pediatric Population

Abstract

Children who show better eating practices are less likely to suffer from severe caries than those who eat a diet rich in sugars. In the present study, we aimed to establish the relationship between the severity of dental caries and adherence to the Mediterranean diet. A cross-sectional study was carried out in which 263 children aged 2 to 14 years old were examined intraorally to analyze the presence and severity of caries. Children’s parents/caregivers completed the KIDMED questionnaire to determine their degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The results showed that the prevalence of caries is greater than 80% in children with medium or low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and remains significant at 67% in the high adherence group (p = 0.010). A statistically significant negative correlation of weak magnitude (r = −0.29; p < 0.001) was found between adherence and the number of carious teeth. Caries severity in the first molars is also influenced by adherence to the diet in a statistically significant way. In conclusion, there is an association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the prevalence, extension, and severity of caries in the pediatric population.