SynthesisBMC oral health2025
Specific effects of xylitol chewing gum on mutans streptococci levels, plaque accumulation and caries occurrence: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07245433 (Evaluating the Effect of Xylitol Wipes on Cariogenic Bacteria in Infants and Toddlers), which is not on this map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Evaluating the Effect of Xylitol Wipes on Cariogenic Bacteria in Infants and Toddlers: A Longitudinal Clinical Trial
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- 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 DentistryPooled it
- Evaluating the effect of xylitol wipes on cariogenic bacteria in infants and toddlers: a longitudinal clinical trial.BMC oral health · 2026Trial
- Mechanisms of caries induced by sugars: a narratives review from microbial metabolism to oral ecological imbalance and public health strategies for caries prevention.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Review
- Multifaceted benefits of xylitol in oral health: from caries prevention to periodontal therapy.Bioinformation · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveA systematic review of published data was carried out to assess specific effects of xylitol chewing gum on levels of mutans streptococci (MS), dental plaque, or caries. MATERIALS AND
methodsElectronic and hand searches were performed to find clinical studies on levels of MS, or plaque, or caries comparing effects of xylitol gum with a polyol control gum. Prospective randomized or controlled clinical studies published before 2025 were included in the review.
resultsThe search identified 908 titles on MS, 879 titles on plaque, and 658 on caries to be evaluated. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 articles on MS, ten on plaque and five on caries were reviewed. In 12/14 studies xylitol gum significantly decreased MS counts compared with sorbitol gum. Plaque accumulation decreased in 6/10 studies and caries occurrence in 3/5 trials when xylitol gum was compared with sorbitol/sorbitol-containing gum. Three studies on MS and/or plaque accumulation had a maltitol gum control, but the results of the studies were conflicting.
conclusionsThe best evidence of specific beneficial effects for xylitol gum differing from those of sorbitol gum are found in the evaluated MS and plaque studies. The results of the reviewed caries trials are in line with this idea. Xylitol gum chewing is suggested to act as an adjunct to toothbrushing for reducing caries-associated MS and plaque accumulation to control and prevent caries occurrence in children and adults. Adults with other plaque-related diseases like periodontal disease should also benefit from xylitol gum.
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Registered trials
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.