title: Immediate Effect of Xylitol Chewing Gum and Mouth Rinse on Salivary Levels of Mutans Streptococci in Adults with Systemic Sclerosis: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the immediate effect of xylitol chewing gum and xylitol mouth rinse on mutans streptococci (MS) levels in the saliva of adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen female adults with SSc were assigned randomly to either the xylitol chewing gum or xylitol mouth rinse groups. Participants in the chewing gum group were given 2 pellets (2.12g) of commercial xylitol chewing gum to chew for 10 min; whereas participants in the mouth rinse group were given 10 ml (10% [w/v]) of xylitol solution to rinse orally for 2 min. MS samples were collected usingDentocult®SM Strip mutansbefore and after xylitol exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in the change scores of MS levels between the two groups was observed at post xylitol exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mouth rinse may provide an alternative mode of xylitol delivery for this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1212. Tel: (205) 934-6301; ; yuen@uab.edu.
authors.forename: Hon K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.affiliation: Department of Craniofacial Biology, College of Dental Medicine and Department of Microbiology & Immunology, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425; westwatc@musc.edu.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Westwater
authors.affiliation: College of Dental Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425; degarmo@musc.edu.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Degarmo
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455; dbandyop@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Dipankar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bandyopadhyay
keywords: mutans streptococci; systemic sclerosis; xylitol