title: Effects of short-term xylitol gum chewing on the oral microbiome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short-term xylitol gum chewing on the salivary microbiota of children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a randomised, controlled, double-blind trial. Healthy children used xylitol chewing gum (xylitol group, n = 35) or sorbitol chewing gum (control group, n = 38) for 5 weeks. The daily dose of xylitol/sorbitol was approximately 6 g/day. At baseline and at the end of the test period, unstimulated and paraffin-stimulated saliva were collected. The microbial composition of the saliva was assessed using human oral microbe identification microarray (HOMIM). Mutans streptococci (MS) were plate cultured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As judged by HOMIM results, no xylitol-induced changes in the salivary microbiota took place in the xylitol group. In the control group, Veillonella atypica showed a significant decrease (p = 0.0001). The xylitol gum chewing decreased viable counts of MS in both stimulated (p = 0.006) and unstimulated (p = 0.002) saliva, but similar effects were also seen in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of xylitol gum decreased MS, in general, but did not change the salivary microbial composition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term consumption of xylitol had no impact on the composition of the salivary microbiota, but resulted in a decrease in the levels of MS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland, eva.soderling@utu.fi.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Söderling
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: ElSalhy
authors.forename: Eino
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Honkala
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Flannagan
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kokaras
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paster
authors.forename: Mimmi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tolvanen
authors.forename: Sisko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honkala
mesh_terms: D002638:Chewing Gum; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D064307:Microbiota; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D014993:Xylitol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum; D014993:Xylitol