Effect van suikervrije kauwgom op plaque en gingivitis omstreden

Het effect van het kauwen van suikervrije kauwgom met sorbitol of xylitol op de mondgezondheid is vaak onderzocht. Vooral het gebruik van xylitolkauwgom liet veelbelovende resultaten zien in onderzoek. Xylitol zou de zuurvorming in de plaque kunnen verminderen, doordat het de opname van suikers door micro-organismen remt. Deze natuurlijke zoetstof zou daarnaast, bij regelmatig gebruik, de plaque en het aantal mutans streptokokken daarin reduceren. Aan de hand van een literatuuronderzoek is nagegaan of deze veronderstellingen stand houden voor plaque- en gingivitisscores.

The MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane-CENTRAL and EMBASE databases were searched up to 20 April 2012 to identify any appropriate studies. Plaque indices and parameters of gingival inflammation were selected as outcome variables. An independent screening of the 594 unique titles and abstracts identified six non-brushing and four brushing studies that met the eligibility criteria. In the non-brushing studies, the use of chewing gum did not significantly affect the parameters of interest. In the descriptive analysis of the brushing studies, four of five comparisons showed a statistically significant effect in favour of the sugar-free chewing gum with respect to plaque scores. The meta-analysis for the Quigley & Hein (J Am Dent Assoc 1962; 65: 26) plaque index scores in the brushing studies also showed a significant difference (DiffM -0.24, 95% CI [-0.41; -0.08]). For bleeding tendency, the descriptive analysis showed that one of the two comparisons identified a significant difference in favour of chewing gum. The meta-analysis, however, did not substantiate this difference. Within the limitations of this systematic review, it may be concluded that the use of sugar-free chewing gum as an adjunct to toothbrushing provides a small but significant reduction in plaque scores. Chewing sugar-free gum showed no significant effect on gingivitis scores. In the absence of brushing, no effect on plaque and gingivitis scores could be established.

Bron
Keukenmeester R, Slot D, Putt M, Van der Weijden G. The effect of sugar-free chewing gum on plaque and clinical parameters of gingival inflammation: a systematic review. Int J Dent Hyg 2013; 11: 2-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2012.00562.x. Epub 2012 Jun 30.