Effects of xylitol in chewing gum on dental plaque and Streptococcus mutans

Effects of "Wrigley's Extra® Sugarfree Chewing Gum · Peppermint" on plaque accumulation and Streptococcus mutans, two indices of potential dental caries and periodontal diseases, were examined in healthy adult volunteers. Forty healthy volunteers aged between 20 and 39 were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Subjects in the experimental group chewed 5 sticks of "Wrigley's Extra® Sugarfree Chewing Gum · Peppermint" daily for two weeks; those in the control group did not chew any gum. In the beginning and the end of study, plaque on all teeth of the subjects was collected and weighed. Results indicated that the group that chewed xylitol sugar free chewing gum for 2 weeks showed significant decrease in both plaque accumulation (21.58%, p < 0.01) and S. mutans counts (23.14%, p < 0.05) while those in the control group showed no significant changes. The results thus indicated that chewing xylitol chewing gum could decrease the likelihood of dental caries.