title: Topical xylitol administration by parents for the promotion of oral health in infants: a caries prevention experiment at a Finnish Public Health Centre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This demonstration programme tested topical use of xylitol as a possible oral health promoting regimen in infants at a Finnish Public Health Centre in 2002-2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents (usually mothers) began once- or twice-daily administration of a 45% solution of xylitol (2.96 m) onto all available deciduous teeth of their children at the age of approximately 6-8 months. The treatment (xylitol swabbing), which continued till the age of approximately 36 months (total duration 26-28 months), was carried out using cotton swabs or a children's toothbrush; the approximate daily xylitol usage was 13.5 mg per each deciduous tooth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the age of 7 years, caries data on the deciduous dentition of 80 children were compared with those obtained from similar, untreated children (n = 90). Xylitol swabbing resulted in a significant (P < 0.001) reduction in the incidence of enamel and dentine caries compared with the comparison subjects (relative risk 2.1 and 4.0, respectively; 95% confidence intervals 1.42-3.09 and 2.01-7.98, respectively). Similar findings were obtained when the children were 5 or 6 years old. The treatment reduced the need of tooth filling relative risk and 95% confidence intervals at 7 years: 11.86 and 6.36-22.10, respectively; P < 0.001). Compared with untreated subjects, the oral counts of mutans streptococci were reduced significantly (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considerable improvement in dental health was accomplished in infants participating in a topical at-home xylitol administration experiment, which was offered to families in the area by the Public Health Centre as a supplement to standard oral health care. Caregiver assessment of the programme was mostly rated as high or satisfactory.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. kauko.makinen@uusikaupunki.fi
authors.forename: Kauko K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Mäkinen
authors.forename: Kirsti L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Järvinen
authors.forename: Carita H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Anttila
authors.forename: Leena M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Luntamo
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vahlberg
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003752:Dental Health Services; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D059012:Lost to Follow-Up; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013295:Streptococcus mutans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014993:Xylitol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014993:Xylitol
keywords: Xylitol; caries prevention; infants' caries; public health centres