The effect of chewing sugar‐free gum on plaque regrowth at smooth and occlusal surfaces

Abstract

Chewing gum can reduce plaque accumulation at sites of predilection for caries but has little or no effect at sites of predilection for gingivitis.

The effects of sugar-free chewing gums on dental plaque regrowth: A comparative study

“…Sugar-free gum was also shown to reduce occlusal plaque regrowth to a considerable degree (approximately 44%), whereas no significant effect on smooth surface plaque was demonstrated. 10 Sugar-free gums containing additives, such as enzymes, abrasives and divalent metal ions, might exhibit an improved antiplaque activity, in a way that such products could be considered useful adjuncts to mechanical oral hygiene. Little research has been conducted on the antiplaque activity of abrasive-and zinc-containing gum products.…”

“…The 4-day plaque regrowth design that was used represents the typical design to determine the plaque inhibitory activity of different mouthrinse formulations, 13,27 while it has been also used to study the effects of chewing gum on plaque accumulation. 10,26 This design usually deals with the efficacy of a test agent on supragingival plaque regrowth after professional toothcleaning and in a short term. During the 4-day study period, toothbrushing is avoided.…”

“…9 The mechanical cleaning effects of chewing gum have also been studied, but the results on the antiplaque efficacy, particularly at the smooth (buccal and lingual) surfaces of the teeth, have been equivocal. 8,10 The incorporation of additives, such as enzymes, abrasives and divalent metal ions, into chewing gum formulations might improve their antiplaque activity. In the past years antimicrobial host proteins, such as lysozyme, lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase (LP), have been incorporated in oral health care products to enhance or restore the saliva's own antimicrobial capacity in patients with xerostomia.…”

The use of sugar free chewing gum as a supplement in the prevention of dental caries. Narrative Review

“…Due to its sticky surface, the mechanical forces produced during chewing and the increase in salivary flow (with a consequent increase in clearance) remove a certain amount of plaque from the more exposed teeth surfaces (free faces and occlusal surface) 3 . This was demonstrated in a study which compared plaque rate before and after chewing sugar-free gum and reported approximately 44% less plaque after consuming chewing gum 17 . Although chewing gum can reduce plaque accumulation in predilection sites of dental caries, it has little or no effect on the predilection sites for gingivitis 17 , even though there have been reductions in the gingival index 14 .…”

Comparing tap water mouth rinse with tooth brushing and sugar-free chewing-gum: Investigating the validity of a popular belief

“…Continued fermentation of sugars trapped in dental plaque in conjunction with attenuated oral buffering capacity of diluted saliva seems to explain why tap water did not enhance oral pH in this trial. It is worthy to note that chewing sugar-free gums removes dental plaque from occlusal surfaces of teeth (Hanham and Addy, 2001).…”