DT News - UK - Research links processed starch to dental caries

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 17 August 2018

save

NEWCASTLE, UK: Given the abundance of dietary recommendations that can be accessed these days, understanding what we should and should not eat can be a difficult task. It may come as a welcome surprise, then, that a recent review commissioned by the World Health Organization has shown that a diet rich in wholegrain carbohydrates is less likely to negatively impact oral health than a diet high in processed carbohydrates.

The findings come from a review of 33 papers on starch and oral health, conducted by researchers at Newcastle University. The analysed papers were studies of foods containing rapidly digestible starches, such as white bread, cake and pretzels, or slowly digestible starches, such as legumes and whole grains, and these foods’ relationships with dental caries, oral cancer and periodontal disease.

The researchers found that there was no evidence to suggest an association between the amount of starch eaten and dental caries. However, rapidly digestible starches were linked to an increased risk of dental cavities, since amylase, a component of saliva, is able to break these starches down into sugars.

Further findings from the review suggested that slowly digestible starches might offer protection against periodontal disease and lead to a lower risk of oral cancer. However, these findings are based on fewer available studies and weaker data.

“Despite an ill-advised fashion for eliminating carbohydrates from the diet, a carbohydrate-rich diet is shown to be fine for oral health so long as it is low in sugars and is based on wholegrain varieties of carbs such as pasta, couscous and wholemeal bread,” said lead researcher Dr Paula Moynihan, Professor of Nutrition and Oral Health at Newcastle University’s School of Dental Sciences.

“The key for shoppers is to look for wholemeal and wholegrain on the labels,” Moynihan added.

The WHO is in the process of updating its guidance regarding carbohydrate consumption. Currently, it recommends keeping free sugar intake—sugars added in the manufacturing process or present in fruit juice, honey and syrups—to less than 10 per cent of one’s daily caloric intake.

The paper, titled “Effects of starch on oral health: Systematic review to inform WHO guideline”, was published online in the Journal of Dental Research on 3 August 2018 ahead of inclusion in an issue.

Research to examine possible links between periodontal disease and oral cancer

PLYMOUTH, UK: As worldwide oral cancer rates continue to climb, our understanding of what causes the disease to occur, thankfully, also continues to grow. ...

Study links tooth growth patterns to smoking history

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, England: The systematic and oral health effects of smoking are well established, including reduced calcium absorption, altered vitamin ...

Report: Policymakers given steps to act against dental caries

LONDON, UK: A new report, published last week by the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) and the Policy Institute at King’s College London in the UK,...

Study links frailty to poor oral health

MELBOURNE, Australia/LONDON, UK: It is widely known that poor nutrition is a risk factor for frailty. Similarly, the link between nutrition and oral health ...

Study links craniofacial anomalies to kidney disease

LONDON – New research has suggested that polycystin-2 (PKD 2), a protein encoded by the PKD 2 gene whose mutations have been associated with ...

Research uses virtual reality technology to train dental surgeons

HUDDERSFIELD, UK: A University of Huddersfield researcher is harnessing the latest virtual reality technology to help oral and maxillofacial surgical ...

Drive launched to tackle dental caries in children in Manchester

MANCHESTER, UK: In the Greater Manchester region, the most common reason for young children being admitted to hospital is to have a tooth removed. In ...

Global dental composite market expected to grow

The global dental composites market is anticipated to grow, due to changes in diet and lifestyle, and a rapidly growing geriatric population across the ...

Study links face-to-face dentistry restrictions to increased antibiotic prescription

MANCHESTER, UK: Dental guidelines in the UK, as in many countries, are predicated upon the knowledge that dental infections respond better to treatment ...

New study links poor toothbrushing habits to heart disease

CHICAGO, US/LONDON, UK: A new study presented during the 2018 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions held recently has suggested that brushing ...

Education

Live webinar
Fri. 19 September 2025
1:00 pm UTC (London)