Chewing gum containing xylitol may help prevent caries by reducing levels of mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli in saliva and plaque. Very little is known about other species which are possibly beneficial to oral health. In this study, the investigators employed high-throughput sequencing of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene to profile microbial communities of saliva and plaque following short-term consumption of xylitol and sorbitol containing chewing gum. Participants (n = 30) underwent a washout period and were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each group chewed either xylitol or sorbitol gum for 3 weeks, before undergoing a second four-week washout period after which they switched to the alternate gum for three weeks.
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Oral microbiome composition
Timeframe: 14 weeks