Role of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners in Oral Heatlh/Caries Prevention – An Educational Symposium for Dental Professionals

Science Education for Dental Health Professionals

Advancing Dental Education on LNCS and Caries Prevention

Preventing dental caries is an essential skill for all dental professionals yet information from expert interviews conducted by IAFNS and a review of the literature suggest a gap in knowledge around the safety and benefits of LNCS to oral health. These professionals are often called upon to provide advice regarding the importance of diet in caries prevention and can benefit from education on the role of sugars and nonnutritive sweeteners in caries formation and health. As such, they must be familiar with alternatives to sugar and the types of food products that are available with non-cariogenic sweetening agents. The American Dental Association (ADA) policies on diet and nutrition encourages members to obtain continuing education to learn more about the relationship between diet, nutrition, and oral health and encourage collaborations with stakeholders to understand the latest science-based nutrition recommendations and raise interprofessional awareness.

The Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners Committee seeks to develop and communicate the science related to how the consumption of LNCSs can contribute to overall health and wellness. This includes the role of LNCSs in taste perception and food choices. See recent publications and upcoming events to learn more about the committee’s work.

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Phase I: IAFNS staff will work with oral health experts and members of the American Dental Association to develop an educational symposium for dental health professionals to educate then in the following areas:

Safety & efficacy of LNCS and LNCS as a substitute for sugar and effects on sugar consumption and body weight
The anti and non-cariogenic properties of NNS- what is known and where more research is needed
Dietary patterns associated with dental caries, prevention, and recommendations

Phase II: The LNCS committee is working with the American Dental Association to produce three webinars on the above topics for continuing education for dental health professionals. Future plans include a proposed publication for the Journal of the American Dental Association.