Abstract
ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of sugar-free chewing gums and also to assess the effect of dosage and frequency of intake of sugar-free gums on Streptococcus mutans count.Method : The sample consisted of 30 subjects, divided into two groups AI and AII. Each group consisted of 15 subjects. Group AI chewed two sugar-free chewing gum, twice daily for 20 minutes (Total four gums daily) and group AII chewed two sugar-free chewing gum, four times daily for 20 minutes (Total eight gums daily) and saliva sample was collected and agar plates were inoculated for Streptococcus mutans colony count. The study was carried for a week’s time and saliva samples collected were baseline, day 1 morning and evening, day 4 evening, day 7 morning and evening.Results : After the gum was chewed, it was observed that the colony count started to reduce when compared with baseline in both the groups. The fall in Streptococcus mutans count was statistically highly significant with p < 0.001 in both the groups. When comparing between group AI (dosage 4 gums daily) and group AII (dosage 8 gums daily), the fall in Streptococcus mutans count for both the groups was not statistically significant with p > 0.05. It was concluded that there was reduction in the level of salivary Streptococcus mutans, but was not statistically significant by increasing the dosage and frequency of intake of sugar-free chewing gums.Therefore, we recommend that dosage of sugar-free chewing gums can be restricted to four gums instead of eight gums per day.
Highlights
Streptococcus mutans is strongly associated with caries in humans[1] and its level in the mouth can be a good indicator of caries-risk
In group AII—mean and standard deviation of salivary Streptococcus mutans at baseline was 156.67 ± 44.22 CFU/ ml and after chewing the gum it was observed to be 120.67 ± 37.10 change for salivary Streptococcus mutans levels (CFU/ml) in the morning and in the evening to 90.00± 29.14 CFU/ml
On 4th day evening, the levels reduced to 70.00 ± 18.80 CFU/ml and on 7th day morning and evening, it was observed to be 67.67 ± 19.82 and 53.33 ± 18.94 CFU/ml respectively
Summary
Streptococcus mutans is strongly associated with caries in humans[1] and its level in the mouth can be a good indicator of caries-risk. Caries is a multifactorial disease and the presence of high levels of Streptococcus mutans at a particular site does not imply that such a site will inevitably develop a lesion. Streptococcus mutans is not found alone in association with caries. Streptococcus mutans, do not have enzymes to utilize xylitol as a source of energy for acid production or for synthesis of extracellular polysaccharides. In 1975, the first xylitol chewing gum was launched almost simultaneously in Finland and United States. The consumption of xylitol, a sugar alcohol of pentitol type, had been found in early 1970s to reduce the incidence of dental caries
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