Journal of Dental Research, Vol 63, 120-123, Copyright © 1984 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
The anti-cariogenic potential of xylitol in comparison with sodium fluoride in rat caries experiments
R. Havenaar
Previous rat caries experiments in our laboratory demonstrated an
anti-cariogenic and most probably a remineralizing effect of xylitol. The
purpose of the present study was to compare the caries-inhibiting property
of xylitol and fluoride in drinking water. The study consisted of two
experiments with Osborne-Mendel rats, superinfected with S. mutans. In the
first experiment, the rats were fed ad libitum a cariogenic diet containing
20% sucrose and 5% glucose (diet SSP 20/5) and tap water containing 0%, 2%,
or 4% xylitol. An additional control group was fed diet SSP 20/5
supplemented with 5% xylitol. In the second experiment, the rats were also
fed diet SSP 20/5, but received tap water, demineralized water (both
containing less than 0.1 ppm F-), or tap water containing 10 and 40 ppm
fluoride. Some animals in the 4% xylitol drinking water group showed a mild
osmotic diarrhea for the first four days and a retarded increase in body
weight of limited duration. S. mutans colonized to a similar level in all
groups of both experiments. Fluoride as well as xylitol in the drinking
water reduced the fissure caries scores significantly. However, 10 and 40
ppm fluoride had a more pronounced inhibiting effect on the caries
experience than did 4% xylitol in the drinking water or 5% xylitol in the
diet.
