Field Trial on Caries Prevention with Xylitol Candies among Disabled School Students

Abstract

Background: In a 1999 survey high caries levels were found among physically disabled school students in Kuwait. Objectives: A field study was planned to test the efficacy of xylitol candies in preventing caries among individuals in two special schools in Kuwait. Methods: Altogether 176 students were examined in 2002 and 145 (105 in xylitol group and 40 in the control group) after 18 months’ intervention. The WHO criteria were used in recording caries according to surfaces (third molars were excluded) by 2 calibrated examiners (E.H., M.S.). The students were allocated to the xylitol group only if the parent/caregiver returned the informed consent form. School health nurses distributed xylitol candies to the students 3 times during the school day (after breakfast and lunch, and before leaving the school). Results: In the xylitol group, the baseline DS and DMFS scores were 3.4 and 8.2 and in the follow-up 1.9 and 7.1, respectively. In the control group, the baseline scores were DS 3.9 and DMFS 9.8, and the follow-up scores DS 3.9 and DMFS 13.2. Conclusion: Xylitol seemed to have a strong preventive and a clear remineralizing effect on caries.

Raman Spectroscopy of Xylitol Uptake and Metabolism in Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

“…It is already known that the use of fluoride is effective in minimizing dental decay (11). What is more, the simultaneous application of xylitol and fluoride produces a synergistic effect, but the precise mechanism of synergism is unknown (20).…”

“…Xylitol is a natural five-carbon-sugar alcohol that can be safely applied as a preventive measure for diseases such as pneumonia, acute otitis media (AOM), dental caries, and meningitis (11,16,21,38,41,45,47). The causative pathogens of pneumonia in children are Gram-positive Streptococcus pneumoniae and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae with polysaccharide capsules.…”

Dentists and Preventive Oral Health Care

“…A number of observational studies and clinical trials have shown the caries-protective effect of xylitol, and to a lesser extent sorbitol (Honkala et al 2006, Burt 2006, Anderson 2003, Hayes 2001. For the first time, comprehensive Finnish "Turku Sugar Study" (Scheinin et al 1976) revealed an 85% decline in dental caries by total dietary substitution of sucrose with xylitol over a 2-year period.…”

Are sugar-free confections really beneficial for dental health?

“…The effect of maternal use of xylitol chewing gum on caries and on mutans streptococci in children has been shown to be beneficial in caries reduction, with significantly less The use of xylitol products has also been tested on patients with high caries risk, with fixed orthodontic appliances, disabled school children and/or veterans with high root caries risk. [30][31][32] Xylitol appeared to have caries preventive effects in all but one of these studies. However, in a two-year double blind trial evaluating the effect of xylitol-and xylitol/fluoride-containing lozenges on proximal caries, no statistically significant differences were found in caries incidence between the experimental groups and a control group that did not receive lozenges.…”