Consumption of xylitol chewing gum by women (mothers) vs no intervention: Change in Mutans streptococci (MS) count in saliva
Xylitol significantly reduced Mutans streptococci in saliva compared with no intervention (SMD -1.47, 95% CI -1.94 to -0.99; 3 trials), though heterogeneity was very high (I2=98%); not GRADE-rated.
What each review found
Current versions only| Finding | Effect | Studies | GRADE certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
Xylitol chewing gum vs No treatment (no gum / no intervention) Change in Mutans streptococci (MS) count in saliva · Generally healthy individuals across all age groups (infants to elderly) · Post-consumption endpoint (varied durations across trials), All age groups, generally healthy; multiple countries; sugar substitutes delivered as chewing gum, milk, candy, or tablets, Xylitol chewing gum vs no intervention/no gum (3 studies) Xylitol significantly reduced Mutans streptococci in saliva compared with no intervention (SMD -1.47, 95% CI -1.94 to -0.99; 3 trials), though heterogeneity was very high (I2=98%); not GRADE-rated. Clinical Effects of Sugar Substitutes on Cariogenic Bacteria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2024) All outcomes | SMD -1.47 [-1.94, -0.99] | 3 studies · 136 participants | GRADE not reported |
Findings are shown side by side, never pooled across reviews.
The reviews
| Review | Searched up to | Included studies | AMSTAR 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Effects of Sugar Substitutes on Cariogenic Bacteria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024 All outcomes | 7 July 2023 (databases searched from inception to); 22 September 2023 noted in Discussion | 49 | Critically Low / Critically Low |
Studies behind the findings
The primary studies the full-text reviews tie to this outcome. Reviews with headline outcomes only do not list them here.
- A Comparative Evaluation of Xylitol Chewing Gum and a Combination of IgY + Xylitol Chewable Tablet on Salivary Streptococcus mutans Count… · 2022 · included by 1 of these review
- Effectiveness of xylitol and polyol chewing gum on salivary streptococcus mutans in children: A randomized controlled trial · 2018 · included by 1 of these review
- Morphological Changes in Streptococcus mutans After Chewing Gum Containing Xylitol for Twelve Months · 2008 · included by 1 of these review
How reviews are matched to this question
Reviews word the same question differently. Four decision models (TypeSafe's Jev, Liquid AI's d1-ultra, SubQ Snap and Baseten's Elephant) judged each wording of the population, intervention, comparator and outcome against the others; two wordings count as the same when at least three of them agree and none clearly disagrees, and findings count as this question only when all four elements match. Timing, setting and subgroup never split a question: they are shown on each finding.