Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Introduction: Dental caries has one the highest incidences in children and the host’s diet
may be a major factor in determining susceptibility to the disease. A proposed tool to screen
and identify high risk individuals uses a bitter compound 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). The
goal of this screening tool is to identify mothers and children who are Non-tasters (those
who cannot taste PROP) and to educate them about their possible affinity towards sugar
substances and its harmful effects on oral and general health. It is suggested that Non-taster
children could be prioritized when providing preventative dental treatment.
Aim: To validate the use of PROP as a screening tool for determining high caries risk
individuals by identifying the taster status of mothers and children, their preference towards
sugar, and its impact on their caries status.
Methodology: 75 mother/ child pairs were recruited to participate in this study. Caries
experience, sugar preference and taster status were determined for all the subjects.
Comparisons were made between mothers and their children to find a possible association.
Results: Caries experience was greater in individuals who were Non-tasters when
compared to Super-tasters. A significant association between taster status and DMFT score
was established (p<0.000). A significant association between taster status and sugar
preference was established (p<0.000). A positive correlation with regard to taster status,
sugar preference and caries experience was observed in mother/child pairs.
Conclusion: Similarities in the mother's and child’s PROP taster status and its association
with sugar preference allows such a screening test to identify individuals who are at high
risk of developing dental caries. Early identification of mothers who are Non-tasters may
allow the introduction of early intervention strategies and assist in the early detection of
potentially high-risk children, especially in environments where resources are limited.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uwc/oai:etd.uwc.ac.za:11394/6628 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Varghese, Vineeth |
| Contributors | Myburgh, Neil |
| Publisher | University of the Western Cape |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | University of the Western Cape |
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