Clinical efficacy and effects of xylitol wipes on bacterial virulence.
The aim of the study was to investigate whether xylitol-wipe use in young children prevented caries by affecting bacterial virulence. In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, 44 mother-child pairs were randomized to xylitol-wipe or placebo-wipe groups. Salivary mutans streptococci levels were enumerated at baseline, 6 months, and one year. Ten mutans streptococci colonies were isolated and genotyped from each saliva sample. Genotype-colonization stability, xylitol sensitivity, and biofilm formation of these isolates were studied. Despite a significant reduction in new caries at one year in the xylitol-wipe group, no significant differences were found between the two groups in levels of mutans streptococci. Children in the xylitol-wipe group had significantly fewer retained genotypes (p = 0.06) and more transient genotypes of mutans streptococci (p = 0.05) than those in the placebo-wipe group. At one year, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of xylitol-resistant genotypes or in biofilm formation ability of mutans streptococci isolates between the two groups. The mechanism of the caries-preventive effect of xylitol-wipe use may be related to the stability of mutans streptococci colonization. Further studies with genomic characterization methods are needed to determine specific gene(s) that account for the caries-preventive effect of xylitol.
Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. ZhanL@dentistry.ucsf.edu
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Featherstone
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Krupansky
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Hoang
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DenBesten
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D000328:Adult; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects; D014993:Xylitol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014993:Xylitol