Cariogenicity tests.

An American Dental Association Scientific Consensus Conference on Methods for the Assessment of the Cariogenic Potential (CP) of Foods was held in San Antonio, Texas, in 1985. The aim was to establish a scientific consensus regarding methods to assess the CP of foods. As a result, a sequential food-testing program was proposed involving Animal Caries, Human Plaque Acidity, and Demineralization/Remineralization Models. Two categories of CP--namely, no CP and low CP--were included. The test protocol has hardly been followed since, primarily because the category of low CP was not considered useful in dietary counseling. It is advocated that research into possible caries-preventive factors of food will be more beneficial for improvements of the oral health of the general population than assessments of low CP.