Potential cariogenicity of starches and fruits as assessed by the plaque-sampling method and an intraoral cariogenicity test.

The cariogenicity of starches and fruits was investigated by measuring acidogenicity (plaque sampling) and enamel demineralization. Test foods were oranges, apples, bananas, Cornflakes, Branflakes, Weetabix, Alpen (no added sugar), white bread, wholemeal bread, rice, and spaghetti, with positive and negative controls of sucrose and sorbitol. Plaque sampling indicated that all the foods were less acidogenic than sucrose, but only significantly so (p < 0.05), as follows: maximum drop in plaque pH: all foods; minimum plaque pH reached: Cornflakes, Branflakes, and wholemeal bread; cH area: wholemeal bread. All foods produced enamel demineralization. The low pH of oranges and apples caused more demineralization than sucrose. Overall, the foods were less cariogenic than sucrose, but more than sorbitol.