Scimex: The natural sweetener xylitol is unproven in preventing dental cavities
in children and adults, according to a new research review by UK
scientists. The researchers gathered data from almost 6000 participants
in 10 different studies but didn't get a conclusive outcome from
combining the results. While they did see weak support for adding
xylitol to toothpaste, the authors concluded there was no evidence for
its benefits in other products and were "particularly surprised to see
such a lack of evidence on xylitol-containing chewing gums".
New research out today concludes that there is limited evidence to
show that xylitol is effective in preventing dental cavities in children
and adults.
Xylitol is a natural sweetener that is widely promoted globally, and
can be found in wide range of everyday products including sugar–free
chewing gum, toothpaste, gels, lozenges and sweets.
Xylitol is a popular sugar substitute in sweets and it is already
known to cause less damage to teeth than sugar. It has also been
suggested that the addition of xylitol to products may help to prevent
tooth decay by stopping the growth of decay-producing bacteria. However,
according to new evidence published in the Cochrane Library there is
little high quality evidence that it is beneficial in the fight against
tooth decay, which affects up to 90% of children and most adults
worldwide.
The authors gathered together data from 5,903 participants in ten
different studies. In most cases, the studies used such different
methods that the researchers could not combine the results to create a
summary effect estimate. Based on information from 4,216 school children
who took part in two Costa Rican studies, they found low quality
evidence that levels of tooth decay were 13% lower in those who used a
fluoride toothpaste containing xylitol for three years, compared to
those who used a fluoride-only toothpaste. For other xylitol-containing
products, such as xylitol syrup, lozenges and tablets, there was little
or no evidence of any benefit.
Lead researcher, Philip Riley of the School of Dentistry at the
University of Manchester, said, “This Cochrane review was produced to
assess whether or not xylitol could help prevent tooth decay in children
and adults. The evidence we identified did not allow us to make any
robust conclusions about the effects of xylitol, and we were unable to
prove any benefit in the natural sweetener for preventing tooth decay.
The limited research on xylitol-containing toothpastes in children may
only be relevant to the population studied. He added, “For other
products containing xylitol we were unable to determine whether they
were beneficial. We were particularly surprised to see such a lack of
evidence on xylitol-containing chewing gums."
Several of the studies included in the Cochrane review did not report
sufficient information on the side effects of xylitol, which can
include bloating, diarrhoea and laxative effects. Philip Riley remarked,
"We expected all studies to report adverse effects as an outcome.
Sugar-free gums, sweets, mints and other products are well-known for
their gastrointestinal effects and these should be clearly reported in
future studies."