Effect of Different Sugar Free Flavoured Chewing Gums on Salivary pH- a Double Blinded, Parallel Arm Randomized Clinical Trial

Aim: To evaluate and compare the effect of four different sugar free chewing-gums on salivary pH at 0, 10, 20, 30 minutes.

Study Design: Double blinded, parallel arm Randomized Clinical Trial.

Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Public Health Dentistry, College Of Dental Sciences, Davangere, India. Jan-Feb 2015.

Methodology: Forty healthy dental students, aged 21 -25 years, mean age- 20.3 years were randomly allocated into 4 different study groups: Licorice group, Ginger group, Cinnamon group, and Xylitol group. Unstimulated saliva was collected from the participants at baseline, following which the participants were given respective gums to chew and the subsequent salivary samples were collected at intervals of 10, 20 & 30 minutes and pH was analyzed using pH meter. Statistical analysis was done using repeated measures ANOVA and One way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test.

Results: Intergroup comparison showed, statistically significant difference between the groups at ten minutes (P=0.025), twenty minutes (P=0.004) and thirty minutes (P=0.001). At the end of thirty minutes, Ginger group showed maximum increase in salivary pH followed by Xylitol. When intragroup analysis was done, there was statistically significant difference in Licorice (P=0.033), Cinnamon (P=0.034) and Xylitol group (P=0.041) at different time intervals.

Conclusion: The above results showed that, Ginger flavoured gum followed by Xylitol gum significantly increases salivary pH, as a means of caries prevention; it can be a good way to promote dental health. Hence, it can be suggested that the ginger flavoured gums can be advised in the subjects who are more susceptible to salivary pH fall and dental caries.