Review of the scientific literature to analyse the cariogenic potential of the diet of military personnel on active duty

Introduction. In 2021 the World Health Organization adopted a resolution on oral health in response to the high prevalence of oral diseases globally. It is estimated that 3.5 billion people suffering from oral diseases, the most common being dental caries and periodontal diseases. It requires UN member states to take action to mitigate the risk factors for oral diseases. While in the general population the concern of the scientific community is reflected in an increased availability of oral health data, in the military the number of scientific studies is limited. Oral health is considered to be an important component of general health, with an impact on the ability of personnel to perform their duties properly. Dietary patterns that increase the risk of dental caries include consistent and long-term consumption of foods containing sugars, sticky foods, and sugary drinks. The literature review revealed that there is no data available regarding oral health status of active military personnel in the Republic of Moldova. Objective of the study. Analysis of available scientific literature to determine the influence of diet with cariogenic potential on oral health of military personnel. Materials and methods. Data was collected using search terms (MESH) about the cariogenic potential of diet in military personnel – Pubmed, MEDLINE. Results. A review of the scientific literature found an increased prevalence of dental caries in military personnel who consistently consumed high carbohydrate products. According to the study proposed by Tudoronion et al on 2020 high carbohydrate diet resulted in a higher percentage of subjects diagnosed with dental caries 70.9%, compared to those who did not show clinical signs of dental caries 29.1% . Conclusion and mitigation strategies. Different studies showed that an increase in the percentage of carbohydrate consumption relative to the total daily energy increases the prevalence of dental caries, which is consistent with the results of many previous studies. The WHO has recommended < 10% consumption of sugars to prevent dental caries. In contrast to many other studies indicating the anti-caries properties of fruits, increasing fruit consumption during the day increased susceptibility to caries.