ABSTRACT
Dental caries is associated with oral pathogenes and Streptococcus mutans [S. mutans]is one of the primary cariogenic organisms. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effect of sugar free chewing gum containing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate [CPP-ACP] and Xylitol on salivary Streptococcus mutan. 60 dental students, who volunteered after signing an informed consent, were randomly allocated to receive one of the following interventions: [A] Chewing gum containing CPP-ACP, [B] Chewing gum containing Xylitol. Subjects within the experimental groups chewed gum for 20 minutes, three times a day after meals for 3 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention unstimulated saliva samples were quantified for Streptococcus mutans count. A statistically significant reduction [p<0.05] of salivary S. mutans was displayed in both groups A and B after the intervention. When results compared with baseline, and group A shows more statistically significant reduction of salivary S. mutans than group B. In conclusion, daily chewing gum containing CPP-ACP and xylitol reduce the level of salivary S. mutans in a significant way, but chewing gum containing CPP-ACP can reduce the level of salivary S. mutans in a significant way than Xylitol chewing gum