The effect of wheat grain fractions and sucrose mixtures on rat caries developing in two strains of rats maintained on different regimes and evaluated by two different methods

Abstract The influence of different fractions of the wheat grain in the diet on dental caries was investigated in two different laboratories and on two separate strains of albino rats. Sugar-free and sugar-containing diets were used. Fissure caries was scored by two different methods after test periods of from 30 days' to 14 weeks' duration. A high caries incidence was consistently found on all sugar-containing diets; a very low incidence was observed on all diets containing wheat fractions in place of sugar, after both short and long experimental periods. Wheat starch, white or wholemeal flour, and white flour partially replaced by bran and/or fine offals, were all of low cariogenicity. Increased dietary content of wheat grain fractions rich in minerals, vitamins, fat or fibre did not significantly decrease the already low incidence of caries in animals on white flour diets.