Relation of Function to Caries Rate

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Abstract
Over a period of 18 months, 102 children received a daily supply of fibrous sugar cane which they chewed under supervision; 164 controls were again divided in 2 groups, of which one received daily freshly milled cane juice, and the other neither cane nor juice. The amt. of chewing in length of time or in the number of chewing motions was considered of minor importance compared with the force exerted during mastication. Expts. suffered in difficulty of obtaining a steady supply of palatable cane, and the generally poor dental condition at the outset which interfered in many cases with the ability to chew adequately. The teeth were examined with an explorer and mirror and radiographically. Caries was scored as D.M.F. The results showed about 50% fewer new cavities in the hard chewing group compared with the control group. The differences may be accounted for by a purely mechanical detergent action of the fibrous food, or hypothetically by the effect of vigorous function on the organic component in the enamel structure, causing an increased resistance to caries.

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