# Nutritional Factors Associated with Dental Caries across the Lifespan: A Review
## 5 Current Food Technology and Its Influence in the Formation of Caries  
The prevailing trend in the food and beverage industry is to meticulously design products to maximize their appeal to consumers. Sugar-sweetened beverages, exemplified by soft drinks, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and energy drinks, epitomize products strategically crafted for consumer allure. The heightened attractiveness of these beverages is primarily attributed to their elevated carbohydrate content, which, by elevating blood glucose levels, induces a pleasurable mood [58]. Furthermore, the caffeine present in many beverages serves to stimulate the trigeminal nerve in the brain, acting synergistically with carbonic acid [59]. Despite the euphoric symptoms associated with their consumption, it is imperative to acknowledge that such drinks may precipitate bone loss, likely attributable to their high caffeine and phosphorus content [58; 60]. A similar concern arises with \"energy drinks\", wherein the carbonate they contain poses a substantial risk, though the precise mechanism through which they exert their detrimental effects remains incompletely elucidated [61]. Contemporarily, there is a discernible trend among younger demographics to substitute traditional beverages, such as water, milk, and juice, with these enticing alternatives [58; 62]. Encouragingly, tea, a beverage commonly consumed by young adults, possesses a notable concentration of polyphenols, which contribute significantly to the prevention of dental caries [63; 64; 65]. Routine consumption of energy drinks is characterized by elevated sugar content and extreme acidity. With a pH range falling between 2.4 and 3.5, these beverages harbor high concentrations of carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, and citric acid [66]. Both the sugars and acids in these drinks significantly contribute to the development of dental caries. Prolonged and frequent consumption of energy drinks has been associated with the induction of dental caries, substantiated by established positive correlations between caries and the intake of soft drinks [50; 67; 68]. The acidity of these beverages plays a dual role in the development of dental caries. Firstly, it augments the acidic pH initiated by cariogenic attacks, thereby intensifying the deleterious impact of the curious process [66]. Secondly, it imposes selective pressure that fosters the proliferation of a more acidogenic and aciduric microbiota in the oral cavity, creating conditions conducive to cariogenic processes [69]. The frequency of consumption of such beverages directly correlates with the magnitude of their detrimental effects on dental health. The ascendancy of green marketing in the food industry over recent years has yielded positive nutritional shifts, particularly for infants and young children. The adoption of green chemical technology has enhanced the bioavailability of products with high nutrient value, facilitating the absorption of nutrients that might otherwise be overlooked [70]. An illustrative instance is the enriched pasta with vegetables, designed to facilitate children in meeting daily vegetable recommendations [71]. Such applications bear the potential to confer significant benefits to oral health, particularly when increased bioavailability of essential nutrients like magnesium and calcium through dietary means is anticipated to exert a positive influence on oral health and caries prevention [57]. Despite the commendable strides in formulating food products for children aged 4-7 and 7-10 years, with sugar content generally limited to less than 5 or 6 texapoons, overconsumption remains a pertinent concern associated with both obesity and dental caries [72]. The crux of fostering proper infant growth lies in ensuring the right balance of essential and supplemented nutrients, either through breastfeeding or alternative nutrition formulas [73]. Notably, formula manufacturers have already heed recommendations by reducing sugar content and adhering to guidelines for carbohydrate and corn syrup restrictions [74].