Extrinsic and intrinsic sugars: a review of recent UK recommendations on diet and caries.

Development of caries in man is associated with dietary sugars, but the relationship between sugar contents of individual foods and their cariogenic potential is unclear. A recent report categorized dietary sugars as intrinsic (mainly fruit and vegetable) and extrinsic (mainly added sugars, milk, and fruit juices) and concluded that consumption of extrinsic sugars (except milk) should be replaced with that of intrinsic sugars. This paper examines briefly the dental consequences of the recommendations.