title: Comparative evaluation of 0.2% Chlorhexidine Mouthwash, Xylitol Chewing Gum, and Combination of 0.2% Chlorhexidine Mouthwash and Xylitol Chewing Gum on SalivaryStreptococcus mutansand Biofilm Levels in 8- to 12-Year-Old Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of combining 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash with xylitol (XYL) chewing gum onStreptococcus mutansand biofilm levels among 8- to 12-year-old children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty children aged 8 to 12 years were selected with moderate and high salivary S.mutanslevels. They were divided into three groups of 20 children each: (1) XYL group where the subjects chewed XYL twice daily; (2) CHX where rinsing was done twice daily; and (3) combination of XYL and CHX group (XYL+CHX) where both the agents were used once daily. TheS. mutanscolony-forming units (CFUs) were counted by using the mitis salivarius agar plate at the beginning of the study and at 15 days, 1, 2, and 6 months from the start of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The XYL+CHX group showed the maximum reduction in both the biofilm and S.mutansscores throughout the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The XYL+CHX combination reduced both the biofilm and S.mutansscore significantly better than either XYL chewing gums or CHX mouthwash used alone.
  Syed M, Chopra R, Shrivastava V, Sachdev V. Comparative evaluation of 0.2% Chlorhexidine Mouthwash, Xylitol Chewing Gum, and Combination of 0.2% Chlorhexidine Mouthwash and Xylitol Chewing Gum on SalivaryStreptococcus mutansand Biofilm Levels in 8- to 12-Year-Old Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(4):313-319.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, ITS Centre for Dental Studies and Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Pedodontics, ITS Centre for Dental Studies and Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chopra
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, ITS Centre for Dental Studies and Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shrivastava
authors.affiliation: Professor,Department of Pedodontics, ITS Centre for Dental Studies and Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sachdev
keywords: Biofilm; Chlorhexidine; Streptococcus mutans; Xylitol.