The effect of differing high-carbohydrate diets on dental caries in the albino rat

Abstract

1. Fifty-six albino rats were distributed between four dietary groups in fourteen randomized blocks of four animals. Each block consisted of siblings and each member of the block received a different dietary treatment. 2. The diets permitted normal growth and the only variations were: group I contained 67% sucrose, group 2 an equivalent amount of uncooked maize starch and groups 3 and 467 % of finely ground Thin Wine and Morning Coffee biscuits respectively. 3. After 31 days on the diet, the animals were killed and assessed for dental caries. The rats of group I had significantly more caries than the other groups. The rats of group 2 had significantly less caries than the other groups. The biscuit diets produced significantly less caries than the sucrose diet, but significantly more caries than the starch diet.