Journal of Dental Research, Vol 77, 1547-1552, Copyright © 1998 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
The effects of xylitol-containing chewing gums on dental plaque and acidogenic potential
A. A. Scheie, O. Fejerskov and B. Danielsen
Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway.
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the chewing of
xylitol- or xylitol/sorbitol-containing chewing gum reduces plaque
formation and the acidogenic potential of dental plaque. Thirty healthy
volunteers aged from 19 to 28 yrs were randomly allocated to one of three
test groups, chewing either xylitol-, xylitol/sorbitol-, or
sucrose-sweetened gums. A three-day plaque accumulation period of no oral
hygiene was instituted prior to and at the termination of the chewing gum
program, which lasted 33 days. Plaque quantity was assessed on the basis of
protein content of individual plaque samples collected by a standardized
technique. Acidogenic potential of individual baseline and test plaque
samples was assessed by the quantity of various organic acids formed from
D-(U-14C)glucose. Identification of extracellular and intracellular
metabolites was performed by HPLC. Statistical evaluation of data was
performed according to paired comparisons of individual baseline and
post-chewing data. Plaque formation, acidogenic potential, and glycolytic
profiles were similar at baseline and after the gum-chewing periods. Also,
there was no intracellular accumulation of glycolytic metabolites within
the plaque bacteria to indicate the inhibition of glycolysis. The study
thus leads to the conclusion that, in young adults with low caries
experience, exposure of the oral cavity to acceptable doses of xylitol or
xylitol and sorbitol has no effect on the microbial deposits on the teeth.
