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Immediate Effect of Xylitol Chewing Gum and Mouth Rinse on Salivary Levels of Mutans Streptococci in Adults with
Hon K Yuen1, Caroline Westwater2, Justin Degarmo3
1Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1212. Tel: (205) 934-6301; ; yuen@uab.edu.
Objective:
To compare the immediate effect of xylitol chewing gum and xylitol mouth rinse on mutans streptococci (MS) levels in the saliva of adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods:
Thirteen female adults with SSc were assigned randomly to either the xylitol chewing gum or xylitol mouth rinse groups. Participants in the chewing gum group were given 2 pellets (2.12g) of commercial xylitol chewing gum to chew for 10 min; whereas participants in the mouth rinse group were given 10 ml (10% [w/v]) of xylitol solution to rinse orally for 2 min. MS samples were collected using Dentocult®SM Strip mutans before and after xylitol exposure.
Results:
No significant difference in the change scores of MS levels between the two groups was observed at post xylitol exposure.
Conclusions:
Mouth rinse may provide an alternative mode of xylitol delivery for this population.
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