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Burt BA, Kolker JL et al. Caries Res 2006; 40: 473–480

Diet is still considered important in relation to dental caries aetiology. In deprived areas of Detroit, a sample of 1,021 subjects was recruited for interview and examination. Because of reported diet involving >16 or <4 items per day, greatly outside national norms, 200 subjects were omitted from analysis. Only 6% of the final sample was male, and nearly half of subjects were in the 25-34 yr age group.

Approximately 40% of the subjects were from families with annual income below £6,300 at the time of the study, 70% were overweight or obese, and a similar number had finished education by age 18. Over 60% were unemployed. There was an association between higher carbohydrate intake and DMFS scores (P = 0.03) and also between the proportion of energy from sugars and DMFS (P = 0.001). Plaque in gingival regions was also related to DMFS (P = 0.02). In the final regression model, frequency of soft drink consumption and gingival plaque related to caries. The authors note the importance of liquid intakes of sugar in causing caries in modern populations.