Experimental Dental Caries in Rats

Diets containing 72% and 75% cerelose produced a significant incidence of caries and relatively severe caries in white rats, particularly in rats of known caries susceptibility and when the diet was started at birth rather than at weaning. An explanation of the effect of the age at which the dietary change was initiated may be that newly erupted rats' teeth are particularly susceptible to caries attack by a diet high in sugar. The results support the view that for the control of dental caries in children it may be particularly advantageous to restrict the sugar intake.