Cariogenicity

Cariogenicity is the capacity of a substance, food, or dietary exposure to promote the development of dental caries. In nutrition and dentistry, the term is commonly used to describe the caries-promoting potential of foods and carbohydrates. Dental caries develops when conditions at the tooth surface repeatedly favor demineralization of enamel or dentin over remineralization .^1,2

A major contributor to cariogenicity is the fermentation of carbohydrates by microorganisms in dental biofilm. When these microorganisms metabolize fermentable carbohydrates, they produce organic acids that lower the local pH. Repeated or prolonged acidification can shift the balance toward demineralization of the tooth surface. Frequent exposure to sugars can also favor microbial communities that are particularly capable of producing and tolerating acidic conditions .^1,2

Cariogenicity is not determined solely by whether a food contains carbohydrate. The type and availability of carbohydrate, frequency and duration of exposure, physical properties of the food, dental biofilm, and effects of saliva can all modify cariogenic potential. Sucrose is particularly cariogenic because it is readily fermented and can also be used by some oral bacteria to produce extracellular polysaccharides that influence biofilm structure .^1,2

Cariogenicity is related to, but broader than, acidogenicity. Acidogenicity describes the ability of a substance to support acid production and lower dental-plaque pH. Although acid production is central to the caries process, a plaque pH response alone does not fully determine how strongly a food promotes caries under real conditions. Cariogenicity therefore describes the overall potential to contribute to dental caries rather than simply the capacity to generate acid .³