Abstract
Chewing gum increases salivary flow rate (SFR) and pH, but differences in preferences of gum flavor may influence SFR and pH. The aim of this paper was to assess the effect of five different flavors of sucrose-free chewing gum on the salivary flow rate and pH in healthy dental students in Isfahan, Iran. Fifteen (7 men and 8 women) healthy dental student volunteers collected unstimulated saliva and then chewed one of five flavored gums for 6 min. The whole saliva was collected and assessed for 6 consecutive days. After unstimulated saliva was collected, stimulated saliva was collected at interval of 0-1, 1–3, and 3–6 minutes after the start of different flavored chewing gums. The SFR and salivary pH were measured. The SFR increased in all five flavored gums at 1, 3, and 6 minutes after start of chewing gums (P < 0.001). The flow rate of all products reached peak in the 1st minute of stimulation, except spearmint-flavored gums which reached peak in the 6th minute. In the 1st minute, the strawberry-flavored gums showed the highest SFR. During 1–3 minutes, strawberry- and apple-flavored gums showed higher SFR, respectively. Only the spearmint- and cinnamon-flavored gum significantly increased salivary pH. Gum flavored can affect the SFR and pH and special flavors can be advised for different individuals according to their oral conditions.
Highlights
Saliva is important for oral and dental health, because increasing salivary flow rate (SFR) increases pH, promotes enamel remineralization and buffer capacity, and reduces caries [1]
The mean SFR and salivary pH obtained on six different days did not show great variation
For initial unstimulated saliva sample collected at the beginning of each of the six collection sessions, there were no significant differences in SFR
Summary
Saliva is important for oral and dental health, because increasing salivary flow rate (SFR) increases pH, promotes enamel remineralization and buffer capacity, and reduces caries [1]. Chewing sucrose-free gums is a convenient way to increase salivary flow and the oral health benefits of gum chewing are well known [2]. It has been shown that on chewing flavored gum, the salivary flow rate increases initially but declines as the flavor is lost from the gum, and as the gum softens with chewing [4, 5]. Many kinds of chewing gum, with different flavors, shapes, and commercial packages, are available and are selected according to personal taste. It has been shown that chewing gum taste is an important factor in individual’s preference, and gum selection can influence on long-term compliance [6]. There is a dearth of information available on the effects of different flavored chewing gums and its effect on whole mouth SFR and pH in healthy individuals
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