Nutrition and Oral Health Flashcards

Which nutrient is most critical for the development and calcification of teeth during the prenatal period?

Answer: Calcium and phosphorus

Calcium and phosphorus are the primary mineral components of hydroxyapatite, essential for proper tooth calcification beginning in utero.

Mottled enamel (dental fluorosis) results from excessive fluoride intake during which developmental phase?

Answer: Enamel matrix formation and calcification

Excess fluoride during amelogenesis disrupts enamel protein removal and mineralization, causing hypomineralized or pitted enamel.

Which systemic condition related to nutrition is characterized by low salivary flow and dramatically increases caries risk?

Answer: Xerostomia associated with poor fluid intake and certain medications

Xerostomia reduces salivary buffering, antimicrobial proteins, and mineral ion availability, making teeth highly susceptible to caries.

A patient on a very low carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet asks about oral health effects. Which finding is most expected?

Answer: Halitosis from ketone production

Ketone bodies (acetone, acetoacetate) are excreted through the lungs and saliva, producing a characteristic fruity or acetone-like breath odor.

Which food group is considered protective against dental caries due to its ability to stimulate saliva and raise plaque pH?

Answer: Hard cheeses

Hard cheeses stimulate saliva flow, provide casein phosphopeptide, and raise plaque pH due to their protein and fat content, reducing caries risk.

Which vitamin is synthesized in the skin through sunlight exposure and is essential for calcium absorption in the gut, thereby supporting tooth and bone mineralization?

Answer: Vitamin D

Vitamin D acts as a hormone that upregulates intestinal calcium-binding proteins, increasing calcium absorption needed for mineralization.