Salivary testing to reduce sugar consumption in school children.

A total of 423 elementary and middle school children participated in a project to see if it would be possible to reduce their sugar consumption. Children tested their salivary lactobacillus colony count and buffering capacity in their health/science class, and they used this information to measure their caries risk. Because the lactobacillus colony count is a good indicator of a person's recent sugar consumption, any change in sugar consumption will produce a change in the lactobacillus colony count. Children's saliva was tested four times, and an intensive dietary counseling program was provided in the classroom. Results showed that lactobacillus counts went down, and the children reduced their sugar consumption.