1011 Comparative Study on Remineralizing Effects of Three Kinds of Xylitol Chewing Gum

T. MIKAMI, T. ASAKAWA, and M. TANAKA, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan

Objectives: Xylitol, fluoride, Gloiopeltis furcata extract and calcium hydrogenphosphate (GFE-CHP) and casein phosphopeptides-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) have been shown to be effective in enhancing remineralization of human enamel. The objective of this study was to compare remineralizing effect of three xylitol chewing gums containing fluoride, GFE-CHP, and CPP-ACP respectively on initial caries-like enamel lesion.

Methods: A test gum containing 0.8 ppm fluoride and xylitol was prepared and compared with two commercially available xylitol chewing gums. One xylitol gum contains GFE-CHP as component that enhances remineralization of human enamel and the other gum contains CPP-ACP for the same purpose. The initial caries-like enamel lesions were artificially made by demineralizing human enamel blocks with a 0.01M acetate buffer (pH 4.0) at 50 degree Celsius for 48 hours. After immersion in a remineralizing solution containing the extract of each chewing gum at 37 degree Celsius for 2 weeks, the demineralized enamel blocks were embedded in resin, sliced and polished to the thickness of 100 um. The degree of remineralization was evaluated by the contact micro radiography of the thin sections.

Results: The xylitol gum containing CPP-ACP showed no clear effect on remineralization. The xylitol gum containing GFE-CHP enhanced remineralization of artificial enamel lesion in all the layers (surface, middle and deep). Although the xylitol gum containing fluoride also enhanced remineralization, the effect was limited to the surface to middle layer and the deeper layer remained demineralized.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that addition of 0.8 ppm fluoride to xylitol chewing gum enhances remineralization more than the CPP-ACP addition, but not to the extent of the GFE-CHP addition.