Effect of xylitol on dental plaque in vivo during carbohydrate challenge

Xylitol has previously been shown to inhibit acid production in vitro when glucose is used as energy source, and the present studies were carried out to investigate whether this effect was valid in vivo. A solution containing both xylitol and glucose was applied on sucrose-induced 4-day-old plaque in vivo. The xylitol added to the glucose solution inhibited the acid production in the plaque, measured as a drop in pH, compared to using glucose alone. A further reduction in acidogenicity was obtained when xylitol was used as a rinse for 1 hr continuously prior to the glucose challenge.