Q17

[Laura Damone]

17. (A)
Question Type: Inference. (45-50)

In paragraph two of Passage B, it is stated that grit and fiber promote tooth wear, which, depending on its severity, can promote or prevent caries, thus (A) must be correct.

(B) is unsupported. In fact, lines 45-48 suggest that fiber and grit consumption may decrease as a population relies more heavily on agriculture.
(C) is out of scope because it deals with overall health.
(D) - is also reversed. Grit smoothes out the tooth surface, mitigating fissures.
(E) is unsupported.

[karamcdono]

I understand that how the passage says that fiber and grit can promote caries frequency, as it states that less fiber and grit in a diet can increase caries frequency. But where does it say anything about fiber and grit limiting caries formation, which is the other half of (A)?

My take was that the "wearing down of tooth crown surfaces reduces caries", yes, but that doesn't mean that fiber and grit are directly limiting caries formation as (A) implies.

Please help a confused girl out!!!

[maryadkins]

Line 47: "A REDUCTION in fiber or grit may INCREASE CARIES." Meaning that the fiber or grit is keeping caries frequency down; when you get rid of them, caries frequency increases.