Animal Studies Concerning the Cariogenicity of Dry Breakfast Cereals

Abstract

Four studies were performed in rats and hamsters concerning the cariogenicity of cereals and the role of sucrose in that process. The findings indicate that sucrose content per se does not necessarily reflect the cariogenic potential. Presweetened cereals were more conducive to the formation of smooth surface caries in the hamster than were non-presweetened cereals while no major differences between the cereals were observed in occlusal caries in rats.