Reduced dental caries incidence in rats with hydrogel-encapsulated fructose-glucose sports-fuel

Hydrogel-encapsulated fructose-glucose (FRU-GLU) was developed as an ergogenic aid in endurance sports. This study aimed to assess the incidence of dental caries in rats subjected to daily administration of hydrogel-encapsulated FRU-GLU. Hydrogel-encapsulated FRU-GLU was prepared in two forms: spherical beads (BEADS) and gel (GEL; Gel 100, Maurten, Gothenburg, Sweden). A control sugar (CONT) was prepared by blending the alginate gel with FRU-GLU to attain a texture similar to that of GEL. All three formulations contained 27% FRU and 33% GLU. Twenty-four male Wistar rats (3-week-old) were allocated to the BEADS, GEL, and CONT groups (n = 8) on Day 0. Between Day 6 and Day 10, cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) were inoculated into the oral cavity of all animals. Additionally, oral administration of sugars (approximately 1 g) began on Day 6 and was repeated daily throughout the 12-week study period. After euthanasia, maxillary and mandibular molars underwent micro-CT analysis. Analysis of 288 molars revealed a significantly lower incidence of distinct dental caries in the BEADS (17.7%) and GEL (21.9%) groups than that in the CONT group (39.6%). Therefore, the use of hydrogel-encapsulated FRU-GLU as a sports fuel may alleviate concerns about the development of dental caries.