Dental And Dietary Correlates Of Children In The Commonwealth Of The Northern Mariana Islands (Cnmi)

Carbohydrate intake is associated with dental caries. This study evaluated the dental and dietary correlates from a population‐based sample of children in CNMI. An oral exam and a 24‐hour dietary recall were conducted. The number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) and the presence of inflamed gums were recorded. Of 395 children, 224 were 1‐5 yrs old and 171 were 6‐10 yrs old. Children 6‐10 yrs old had higher mean DMFT (7.1 teeth more) than 1‐5 yrs old. The prevalence of decayed teeth was significantly higher in 6‐10 yrs old (71%) than 1‐5 yrs old (56%), and the prevalence of filled teeth was significantly higher in 6‐10 yrs old (21%) than 1‐5 yrs old (6%). The overall prevalence of inflamed gums was 7%, with no difference between age groups. DMFT was not associated with carbohydrate or sugar intake. When stratified by DMFT component, filled teeth in 6‐10 yrs old was positively associated with carbohydrate intake adjusted for covariates (P<0.05). The association was insignificant with the inclusion of added sugar intake, and the association between added sugar and filled teeth was marginally significant (P=0.06). The association between DMFT and carbohydrate in this study may be confounded by the type of carbohydrate consumed or the frequency of consumption, and should be addressed in future studies. Meanwhile, reducing added sugar intake could improve dental caries in this population. USDA‐NRI and HLPI (ADAP)