The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of sugar-free chewing gums and also to assess the effect of dosage
and frequency of intake of sugar-free gums on Streptococcus mutans count.
Method: The sample consisted of 30 subjects, divided into two groups AI and AII. Each group consisted of 15 subjects. Group AI chewed two
sugar-free chewing gum, twice daily for 20 minutes (Total four gums daily) and group AII chewed two sugar-free chewing gum, four times
daily for 20 minutes (Total eight gums daily) and saliva sample was collected and agar plates were inoculated for Streptococcus mutans
colony count. The study was carried for a week’s time and saliva samples collected were baseline, day 1 morning and evening, day 4
evening, day 7 morning and evening.
Results: After the gum was chewed, it was observed that the colony count started to reduce when compared with baseline in both the groups.
The fall in Streptococcus mutans count was statistically highly significant with p < 0.001 in both the groups. When comparing between
group AI (dosage 4 gums daily) and group AII (dosage 8 gums daily), the fall in Streptococcus mutans count for both the groups was not
statistically significant with p > 0.05. It was concluded that there was reduction in the level of salivary Streptococcus mutans, but was not
statistically significant by increasing the dosage and frequency of intake of sugar-free chewing gums.
Therefore, we recommend that dosage of sugar-free chewing gums can be restricted to four gums instead of eight gums per day.