IADR Abstract Archives
Taste Thresholds, Sweet Preference and Caries in 12-Year-Old Thai Children
Objectives: To determine taste detection threshold, sweet recognition threshold, sweet preference and their association with dental caries in 12-year-old children in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand.
Methods: 122 children (68 boys, 54 girls) from 4 schools in Khon Kaen Province were recruited using a simple random technique. Taste detection and sweet recognition thresholds were determined by two-alternative forced choice technique whereas sweet preference was determined by rank-ordering technique. Dental caries was examined visually under natural light with mouth mirrors and explorers. Statistical analysis was done with Mann Whitney test and Spearman rank correlation test.
Results: Mean taste detection threshold (0.008221±0.007533 M) was significantly less than mean sweet recognition threshold (0.025905±0.029291 M) (p<0.01; Wilcoxon Signed ranks) and both thresholds were significantly correlated (p = 0.033, R = 0.198; Spearman rank correlation). No significant difference in taste detection and sweet recognition thresholds was found between boys and girls (p=0.923 and 0.475 respectively; Mann Whitney). Boys tended to have higher level of sweet preference than girls (medians = 0.29 M and 0.14 M respectively). No correlation was found between taste detection threshold, sweet recognition threshold, sweet preference and DMFT (both with and without white spot lesions).
Conclusions: Taste and sweet taste sensitivity were correlated but they were not correlated with sweet preference in our sample, suggesting the importance of environmental effect on sweet perception. In addition, dental caries was not predicted by either taste sensitivity or sweet preference.
Methods: 122 children (68 boys, 54 girls) from 4 schools in Khon Kaen Province were recruited using a simple random technique. Taste detection and sweet recognition thresholds were determined by two-alternative forced choice technique whereas sweet preference was determined by rank-ordering technique. Dental caries was examined visually under natural light with mouth mirrors and explorers. Statistical analysis was done with Mann Whitney test and Spearman rank correlation test.
Results: Mean taste detection threshold (0.008221±0.007533 M) was significantly less than mean sweet recognition threshold (0.025905±0.029291 M) (p<0.01; Wilcoxon Signed ranks) and both thresholds were significantly correlated (p = 0.033, R = 0.198; Spearman rank correlation). No significant difference in taste detection and sweet recognition thresholds was found between boys and girls (p=0.923 and 0.475 respectively; Mann Whitney). Boys tended to have higher level of sweet preference than girls (medians = 0.29 M and 0.14 M respectively). No correlation was found between taste detection threshold, sweet recognition threshold, sweet preference and DMFT (both with and without white spot lesions).
Conclusions: Taste and sweet taste sensitivity were correlated but they were not correlated with sweet preference in our sample, suggesting the importance of environmental effect on sweet perception. In addition, dental caries was not predicted by either taste sensitivity or sweet preference.