The physical form of pretzels,a crunchy snack,makes them less cariogenic than a chewy food,such as caramels because pretzels have a faster oral clearance time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Neither the statement nor the reason is correct.Although pretzels have less sugar than caramels,the chewy nature of caramel stimulates salivary flow because additional mastication is required to clear caramel from the mouth.This important mechanism results in less retention and damage as compared with dry,sticky foods such as pretzels.This supports the concept that retention and oral clearance time have more impact on cariogenicity than does the quantity of sugar.

The Physical Form of Pretzels,a Crunchy Snack,makes Them Less Cariogenic