Dental plaque and dietary intakes in schoolchildren in Hawaii.

Plaque formation on the teeth as measured by the number of teeth with a heavy plaque accumulation was found to be influenced by diet. Accumulation of plaque was enhanced by the frequent consumption of food items such as sweet rolls, sweet breads, manapua, and poi. All of these are characterized by their sucrose content and stickiness. However, fruit drinks were shown to have a retarding effect on plaque growth. The information on the amount of plaque had little relationship with the dental caries status of the subjects, whereas it was significantly associated with periodontal health.