Propylthiouracil (PROP) - A Tool to Determine Taster Status in Relation to Caries Experience, Streptococcus Mutans Levels and Dietary Preferences in Children

Purpose: Dental caries remains the single most common disease of childhood that is neither self-limiting nor amenable to short term pharmacological management. Hence, there is a need to identify and institute preventive measures for those children who are at a greater risk for developing dental caries to determine the prevalence of tasters and non tasters among the group of school aged children. To compare and contrast the prevalence of dental caries, S.mutans levels and dietary preferences in children with different genetic sensitivity levels to the bitter taste of PROP.

Method: A total no of 500 children belonging to the age group of 6-12 years of both sexes were recruited from A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences in Mangalore, India. PROP sensitivity test was carried out to determine the inherent genetic ability to taste a bitter or sweet substance. Estimation of Streptococcus mutans levels were done, a questionnaire was given to evaluate their dietary habits and the caries experience was recorded. Collected data were tabulated and subjected for statistical analysis using Pearson Chi – square test of significance.

Results: The results suggested that there was increase in the caries experience and S.mutans levels among the group of non tasters as compared to tasters. Tasters tended to be sweet dislikers and non tasters tended to be sweet likers. On the whole tasters had a healthier dentition as compared to non tasters.

Conclusion: The PROP test proved to be a useful tool in determining the genetic sensitivity levels of bitter taste. Knowledge of an individuals taste perception can help us in identifying the children who are at higher risk for dental caries.

PROP; Taste perception; Caries experience; Dietary preferences; S.mutans

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