Limited evidence that xylitol prevents decay
Research published by the Cochrane Library has concluded that there is little evidence to support the idea that xylitol, a naturally derived sweetener, is effective in preventing dental cavities.
Data from 5,903 participants was gathered in the study, using ten different studies as examples. These studies used a variety of methods, which differed so much that the researchers were not able to combine the results in order to create an estimate of them.
Based on information which was provided in two studies based in Costa Rica, which used 4,216 schoolchildren, the researchers found low quality evidence supporting the idea that xylitol improved dental and oral health. The study found that levels of tooth decay were 13% lower in the children who used a fluoride based toothpaste containing xylitol for three years, in comparison to those who used a toothpaste which consisted of only fluoride. Other products containing xylitol, such as chewing gum, tablets, syrup and lozenges, were shown to have little or no benefit in regards to the improvement of oral and dental health.
The lead researcher of the study was Philip Riley of the School of Dentistry at the University of Manchester. Riley stated that the evidence which was found ‘did not allow us to make any robust conclusions about the effects of xylitol’ and that the researchers were ‘unable to prove any benefit in the natural sweetener for preventing tooth decay’, as the benefits discovered in the research may only be applicable to the population of the areas studied.
Several of the studies in the Cochrane review did not report sufficient information on xylitol’s side-effects, including laxative effects, diarrhoea, and bloating. Riley noted that all studies were expected ‘to report adverse effects as an outcome’ and that these effects ‘should be clearly reported in future studies’.
