title: Carbamide-containing polyol chewing gum and prevention of dental caries in schoolchildren in Madagascar.
abstract: The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effect on dental caries experience of using carbamide polyol chewing gum as a supplement to standard oral hygiene procedures for schoolchildren in a developing country (Madagascar). In 1994, grades 1 and 4 children of demonstration schools were allocated to experimental and control groups; all children participated in a school-based oral health education programme, including daily toothbrushing supervised by the classroom teacher. At grade 1, the test group (n = 125) also used chewing gum (V6: 55.5 per cent sorbitol, 4.3 per cent xylitol, 2 per cent carbamide) three times a day. At grade 4, one test group (n = 177) had chewing gum three times a day and an additional test group (n = 74) had chewing gum five times a day. The control groups included 117 children at grade 1 and 209 at grade 4. Dental caries was registered in 1994 and 1997 according to the Recording System for the Danish Child Dental Services. In grade 1 children, the preventive effect of the total DMFS was not statistically significant except for occlusal caries (-0.65 DMFS, P < 0.01). In the grade 4 test groups, non-significant reductions of dental caries experience were found when compared with controls. The present community trial indicates that the use of polyol chewing gum may be considered a supplement to the control of occlusal dental caries in young primary schoolchildren, particularly in developing countries with limited resources for dental care.
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Community Dentistry, Denmark.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Razanamihaja
mesh_terms: D000665:Ampholyte Mixtures / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002638:Chewing Gum; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008270:Madagascar; D008297:Male; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012571:School Dentistry; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014508:Urea / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014993:Xylitol / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000665:Ampholyte Mixtures; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D002638:Chewing Gum; D011108:Polymers; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C024617:polyol; D013012:Sorbitol; D014508:Urea; D014993:Xylitol