Sugar intake above international recommendations and oral disease burden: A population-based study

Objective: To evaluate the association between added sugar intake above the daily limit for the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and the Chronic Oral Disease Burden in adolescents. Methods: This was a population-based study using cross-sectional data nested to RPS Cohorts Consortium, Sao Luis, Brazil, from the 18-19-year-old follow-up (n = 2515). High consumption of added sugars was estimated according to the limits of the World Health Organization guidelines (WHO) (>= 5% of total energy/day) and the American Heart Association statement (AHA) (>= 25 g/day). The Chronic Oral Disease Burden was a latent variable (number of decayed teeth, periodontal probing depth >= 4 mm, clinical attachment level >= 3 mm, and bleeding on probing). Models were adjusted for Socioeconomic Status, sex, obesity, and plaque index and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Results: Adolescents had high sugar consumption according to the WHO (78.6%) and AHA (81.4%) recommendations. High sugar intake, according to WHO (SC = 0.096; p = 0.007) and AHA (SC = 0.056; p = 0.027), was associated with a heavier Chronic Oral Disease Burden. Even half of the recommended dose was sufficient to affect some oral disease indicators. Conclusion: Sugar intake over international statements to prevent NCDs is associated with higher Chronic Oral Disease Burden among adolescents.