Cariogenicity of traditional African foodstuffs (maize, beans, sorghum, brown bread) on rat caries.

The cariogenicity of the following traditional African foods was tested in a rat model system: cooked maize and beans, cooked maize and spinach, uncooked and cooked sorghum, both plus 20% sucrose and brown bread, as well as a control (wheat starch plus 50% sucrose). Plaque extent was low in all the test groups and caries incidence was almost zero in all groups except for the cooked wheat starch and 50% sucrose group. Comparison to earlier results suggests a possible cariostatic effect of sorghum but not for the other traditional foods.