Noncariogenicity of erythritol as a substrate.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol produced by Aureobasidium sp. from glucose. It is 75-80% as sweet as sucrose and is also nonhygroscopic. The aim of this study was to evaluate this sugar substitute from a cariological point of view. Erythritol was neither utilized as a substrate for the lactic acid production nor for plaque formation of mutans streptococci (serotypes a-h) and certain oral microorganisms. It was not utilized for water-insoluble glucan synthesis or cellular adherence by glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus mutans PS-14 (c) and Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 (g). Finally, a significantly lower caries score (3.1 +/- 0.5; mean +/- SEM) was observed in specific pathogen-free rats infected with S. sobrinus 6715 and fed with a diet containing 26% erythritol, as compared to control rats fed with a diet containing 26% sucrose (60.5 +/- 2.0). Also, rats provided a diet containing 56% erythritol chocolate (23.8% erythritol) and challenged with S. mutans PS-14 exhibited a significantly lower caries score (6.7 +/- 0.8) compared to the sucrose chocolate group (82.8 +/- 2.8). The main conclusion from this study is therefore that erythritol is a promising sugar substitute from a cariological point of view.
Kawanabe
J
J
Department of Microbiology, Nihon University, School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Japan.
Hirasawa
M
M
Takeuchi
T
T
Oda
T
T
Ikeda
T
T
D000190:Actinomyces / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016924:Actinomyces viscosus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D004896:Erythritol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007773:Lactates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019344:Lactic Acid; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007780:Lacticaseibacillus casei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D007773:Lactates; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; D004896:Erythritol