Consumption Of Chewing Gum Research Articles

A 24-month Clinical Study of the Incidence and Progression of Dental Caries in Relation to Consumption of Chewing Gum Containing Xylitol in School Preventive Programs

The effect of chewing gum containing xylitol on the incidence and progression of dental caries was tested in a sample of 274 children, aged eight and nine years, of low socio-economic status and high caries rate. They were divided into two experimental groups (15% and 65% xylitol chewing gum distributed three times a day at school) and one control group (without chewing gum). The three groups were exposed to the same basic preventive program. Children who chewed gum had a significantly lower net progression of decay (progressions-reversals) over a 24-month period than did the controls. Results for the two groups chewing gum were similar. Chewing xylitol gum had a beneficial effect on the caries process for all types of tooth surfaces, and especially for bucco-lingual surfaces. The two experimental groups had a DMF(S) increment of 2.24 surfaces, compared with 6.06 surfaces for the control group. For this indicator, there was no difference between the two experimental groups. Results for the plaque index were in agreement with those of the DMF(S) increment and the net progression of decay.

Effect of 4 days consumption of chewing gum containing sorbitol or a mixture of sorbitol and xylitol on dental plaque and saliva.

By aid of a full crossover double-blind design, the effect of a 4-day period with: (1) ten pieces per day of a sorbitol-containing chewing gum, (2) ten pieces per day of a chewing gum containing a mixture of sorbitol and xylitol (sorbitol/xylitol), and (3) no chewing gum, in combination with a controlled diet and no oral hygiene, was studied on dental plaque and saliva in 24 dental students. Sorbitol-containing chewing gum did not enhance the amount (wet weight) compared to no chewing gum. The sorbitol/xylitol period resulted in significantly less plaque in comparison with the two other periods (p < 0.001). No clearcut differences were found between the three treatments regarding protein content and peroxidase activity in whole-saliva centrifugates or total carbohydrate, reducing sugar, protein content and ‘sucrase’ activity in soluble plaque extracts. Directly after these 4-day periods, the effect of 3-hour consumption of ten pieces of a sucrose-containing chewing gum was studied. Protein content and peroxidase activity in whole-saliva samples were about the same after this 3-hour period, while plaque wet weight, protein, total carbohydrate and reducing sugar content and ‘sucrase’ activity in soluble plaque extracts increased significantly (p < 0.001). The changes in the plaque material after the 3-hour period were about the same and independent of the former treatment with sorbitol- and sorbitol/xylitol-containing chewing gum or no chewing gum.