Influence of extraoral xylitol and sucrose dippings on enamel demineralization in vivo.

This paper describes the effect of xylitol on demineralized enamel in plaque-free and plaque-covered conditions in vivo. Fissure-like plaque retention grooves were created in 66 human enamel blocks and demineralized in vitro. The blocks were mounted in a prosthesis of 11 participants, who used a 2.5% xylitol, a 2.5% sucrose solution or water extraorally in a randomized cross-over design, for three periods of 16 days. The participants submerged the prosthesis twice a day in the solution during 5 min. Mineral loss and lesion depth were measured before and after the in vivo experiment, using quantitative microradiography and polarized light microscopy. Lesion depth at the surface enamel was +/- 45 microns, at the wall of the grooves +/- 30 microns and at the bottom of the grooves +/- 50 microns before the experiment. After 16 days the lesion depth at the wall of the grooves was +/- 40 microns and at the bottom of the grooves +/- 75 microns. In the grooves no differences were found between the xylitol, the sucrose and the water treatment. At the surface enamel a significant reduction of enamel demineralization was found after the xylitol dippings. The lesion depth at the surface enamel increased 17 microns after the sucrose treatment and 7 microns after the xylitol treatment. The mineral loss after the sucrose and the water treatment were both approximately three times higher than the mineral loss after the xylitol treatment.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes