Excessive sugar consumption in children's diets and its influence on the development of caries: an integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: The consumption of sugary drinks has been identified as one of the main factors contributing to the appearance of cavities in children. Objective: to describe the excessive consumption of sugar in children's diets and its influence on the development of caries. Methodology: this is an Integrative Literature Review, carried out in the following databases: PubMed, LILACS, MEDLINE and BBO, using descriptors available in the Health Science Descriptors (DeCS), Medical Subject Headings and some synonymous terms, connected using the Boolean operators "AND" and "OR". In addition, the following inclusion criteria were adopted: full-length articles, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, from the last 10 years and which answered the study question. Results: The study sample included eight articles. All were published in the last five years, most of them in international journals and on PubMed, involving around 9,298 children. Among the main findings, we identified the relationship between excessive sugar consumption in children's diets and the onset of caries, associated factors and their prevalence, excessive consumption of processed foods, passive attitudes of caregivers in relation to children's dental appointments, the relationship between the presence of caries and malnutrition and caries prevention measures. Final considerations: The study made it possible to understand a little more about the excessive consumption of sugar in children's diets and its relationship with the development of caries, as well as other aspects related to the subject and means of preservation.