title: The effect of polyol-combinant saliva stimulants on S. mutans levels in plaque and saliva of patients with mental retardation.
abstract: The effect of chewable saliva-stimulants on Streptococcus mutans levels in dental plaque and paraffin-stimulated whole saliva among participants who were mentally disabled was investigated. Over 64-days, 98 participants chewed one of four saliva-stimulating tablets five times/day. The tablets contained one of the following: xylitol (X) or sorbitol (S), or 1:1 mixtures of xylitol and erythritol (XE) or sorbitol and erythritol (SE). Consumption of xylitol and sorbitol in Groups X and S was 5.4 grams/day/ subject, and of each polyol in Groups XE and SE, consumption was 2.7 g/day/subject. Interproximal dental plaque and stimulated whole saliva were sampled at baseline, at Day 36, and Day 64. There was a statistically significant reduction of S. mutans in plaque and saliva counts in Groups X and XE. The percentage of S. mutans in total streptococci increased significantly in dental plaque in Group S but decreased in the other groups. The results suggest that xylitol-containing saliva stimulants may be more effective than sorbitol-containing products in controlling some caries-associated parameters in people who are mentally disabled. Also a relationship may exist between the pentitol-type xylitol and S. mutans, and erythritol may exert a specific biochemical effect on this organism, although further studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. kauko.makinen@uusikaupunki.fi
authors.forename: Kauko K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Mäkinen
authors.forename: Kauko P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Isotupa
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kivilompolo
authors.forename: Pirkko-Liisa
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Mäkinen
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murtomaa
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petäjä
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toivanen
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Söderling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004245:DMF Index; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004896:Erythritol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008409:Mastication; D012463:Saliva / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014993:Xylitol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D013402:Sugar Alcohols; D013012:Sorbitol; D004896:Erythritol; D014993:Xylitol