Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38430364›Full record

SynthesisEuropean archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry2024

The effect of xylitol chewing gums and candies on caries occurrence in children: a systematic review with special reference to caries level at study baseline.

K Pienihäkkinen, A Hietala-Lenkkeri, I Arpalahti, E Söderling

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Beneficial Effects of Xylitol Chewing Gum and Candies on Oral Health in Older People and Individuals With Disabilities: A Systematic Review.Special care in dentistry : official publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry
    Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

K PienihäkkinenInstitute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.
A Hietala-LenkkeriInstitute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.
I ArpalahtiInstitute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.
E SöderlingInstitute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland. esoder@utu.fi.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7565-703X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeA systematic review of published data was carried out to assess the caries-preventive effects of xylitol chewing gums and candies in children.

methodsElectronic and hand searches were performed to find clinical studies on the effects of xylitol chewing gums and candies on dental caries in children (≤ 18 years). Prospective randomised or controlled clinical trials published before 2023 were included in the review.

resultsThe initial search identified 365 titles to be evaluated. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles with either fair or low quality were reviewed. Nine articles studied chewing gums, five candies, and one both of them. In the ten evaluated xylitol chewing gum studies xylitol consumption significantly reduced caries occurrence when compared with no treatment or a placebo polyol gum. The effect was clinically significant in studies with high or moderate caries level at study baseline. The results also suggested that the caries-reducing effect of xylitol gums may differ from sorbitol/polyol gums. In five of the six heterogenous xylitol candy studies, no caries-reducing effect was found independent of caries level. In addition to caries level, also the daily xylitol dose was a confounding factor.

conclusionThe present findings suggest that the caries-reducing effect of adding xylitol chewing gum to the daily diet has been well demonstrated in children and adolescents with high or moderate caries level at study baseline. Xylitol gum use could benefit subjects with active incipient caries lesions on smooth tooth surfaces.

Indexed as

CandyCariostatic AgentsChewing GumDental CariesSweetening AgentsXylitolAdolescentChildHumansCariostatic AgentsChewing GumSweetening AgentsXylitolCaries preventionChewing gumDental cariesPolyolXylitol

Identifiers

PMID38430364
PMCPMC11058973

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.