The acidogenic potential of commonly consumed solid sweets in Karnataka viz. Peda, Laddu, Mysore Pak and olige, studied in 40 children (9-15 years) with 2-5 dift/DMFT using glass electrode attached to Analog type pH electrometer revealed the mean resting plaque pH for 'peda' group to be 7.05, 'laddu' & mysore pak groups 7.24 and olige group 7.44. The maximum pH fall was obtained at 10 minutes interval in the post consumption period. It reached 6.08 with Peda, 6.44 with laddu, 6.41 with mysore pak and 6.47 with olige. The plaque pH gradually rose towards neutral in about 60 minutes in the post consumption period. According to cH area, the lowest acidogenic potential was found with olige (7.0506), followed by laddu (7.562), mysore pak (11.6944), and peda (15.249).

Cariogenic potential of a few children's favourite snacks, assessed by evaluation of pH modulations on their respective consumption after 2,5,10,20,30 and 40 minutes compared to 10 percent sucrose control using pooled plaque method, in 8-12 years old children revealed lollipop (hard sucking candy) to be the most cariogenic and samosa without chutney to be the least cariogenic. The cariogenic potential of ice creams were similar, however, low as compared to sucrose solution of 10 percent.

Cariogenicity of five commonly consumed carbonated beverage and sugar containing drinks (Frooti, sugarcane juice, Limca, Thumps up and Big Sipp) was evaluated by estimating changes in pH of human dental plaque and saliva in 2 groups of subjects (20 each) differing in caries experience (Group A DMFT zero; Group B DMFT 3-5). In group A subjects, pH of plaque did not fall to levels near critical pH (5.5) with any of the test drinks or control. However, in group B children the salivary pH did fall below critical levels in the case of Frooti while salivary pH fell below critical pH with Frooti and Thums up.

This study is a part of a larger preventive oral health feasibility module embarked on a population of 120,000 of Raipurrani, district Ambala (Haryana). The KAP analysis of about 2000 individuals (including school children) on cross-sectional basis at baseline, one and two years after the implementation of knowledge about oral health measures to the community utilizing the existing health infrastructure at CHC, the Anganwadi workers (ICDS Scheme) and through school teachers in the schools revealed that at baseline datun was the most prevalent (63%) oral hygiene measure used in the community and students. After implementation, the practice of brushing thrice, twice and once daily increased but the most prevalent frequency remained once a day (39% out of 66 percent using brush in community and 37% out of 76 percent in students after 2 and 11/2 years of implementation respectively) followed by twice a day (23 & 31% respectively). A similar pattern of frequency was observed about datun users also, though the number using datun substantially declined from 62% to 33% in community and 63 to 23% in students after implementation.