Relationship of Taste Sensitivity and Dental Caries in Hilltribe Children

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the oral health status and taste sensitivity among hilltribe children living along the Thai-Myanmar border. Methods: Using a whole mouth method, 153 Hmong children were poured into their mouth with the solutions prepared in ascending series of sucrose, sodium chloride and citric acid, representing sweet, salty and sour tastes, respectively. The first correct recognition for the taste was defined as a recognition threshold. Dental caries index, DMFT, was recorded for the same subject. Results: DMFT in Hmong children was 2.90. Taste recognition thresholds for sucrose, sodium chloride and citric acid were 25.78 mM (n=151), 24.08 mM (n=153) and 0.57 mM (n=138), respectively. When the subjects were divided with the number of decayed teeth (DT), it was found that the group with high caries (DT >= 4 teeth) could detect sourness at lower concentration (0.43±0.14 mM) than the caries free (0.72±0.26 mM). No significant difference in taste sensitivity to sweetness and saltiness among different caries groups. Conclusions: Taste sensitivity to sour taste is seemingly related to high dental caries in hilltribe children. This study was supported by the grants from Mahidol University (Project: Risk factors for dental and gingival diseases of Thai people at Thai-Myanmar border).