Effect of a Daily Dose of Snacks Containing Maltitol or Stevia rebaudiana as Sweeteners in High Caries Risk Schoolchildren. A Double-blind RCT Study.

Cocco, Fabio; Cagetti, Maria Grazia; Livesu, Roberta; Camoni, Nicole; Pinna, Roberto; Lingström, Peter; Campus, Guglielmo (2019). Effect of a Daily Dose of Snacks Containing Maltitol or Stevia rebaudiana as Sweeteners in High Caries Risk Schoolchildren. A Double-blind RCT Study. Oral health & preventive dentistry, 17(6), pp. 515-522. Quintessenz Verlags-GmbH 10.3290/j.ohpd.a43329

[img] Text
Effect of a Daily Dose of Snacks Containing Maltitol or Stevia rebaudiana as Sweeteners in High Caries Risk Schoolchildren. A Double-blind RCT Study.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to registered users only
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (192kB)

PURPOSE:
To evaluate the effect of sugar-free snacks on caries-related factors in 6- to 9-year-old schoolchildren.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Two hundred seventy-one children at risk for caries as measured through the Cariogram were randomly assigned to three groups consuming twice-daily snacks containing Stevia, maltitol or sugar for 42 days. Parents filled out a standardised questionnaire regarding personal, medical and oral behavioural information. Bleeding on probing, plaque pH and salivary mutans streptococchi (MS) and lactobacilli (LB) were assessed at baseline (t0), 42 days of snack use (t1) and 120 days after the end of use (t2). The Cariogram calculation was repeated at t1. Treatment effects were estimated using linear mixed-effects regression models.
RESULTS:
At t2, a decrease in cariogenic bacteria (MS X2 = 8.01, p < 0.01 and LB X2 = 4.60, p = 0.03) and an increase of the minimum pH (F = 4.48, p < 0.01), maximum pH (F = 2.88 p < 0.01) and pH drop (F = 2.95 p < 0.01) was recorded in the Stevia group compared to baseline. In the maltitol group, an improvement effect was noted: LB concentration decreased (p = 0.04) and maximum pH (F = 3.16 p < 0.01) increased. Subjects classified by the Cariogram as have a low probability of developing caries increased in the Stevia and maltitol groups (X2(4) = 25.44, p < 0.01, C*sV = 0.38 and X2(4) = 12.85, p = 0.01, C*sV = 0.27, respectively). Regression analysis underlines the effect of Stevia snacks on the cariogenic microflora, mainly on MS and plaque pH variations.
CONCLUSION:
The short-term administration of Stevia or maltitol snacks improves some important factors related to caries. This preventive strategy might be an additional means of combatting this common childhood disease.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > School of Dental Medicine > Department of Preventive, Restorative and Pediatric Dentistry

UniBE Contributor:

Campus, Guglielmo Giuseppe

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1602-1622

Publisher:

Quintessenz Verlags-GmbH

Language:

English

Submitter:

Guglielmo Giuseppe Campus

Date Deposited:

04 Dec 2019 08:28

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:32

Publisher DOI:

10.3290/j.ohpd.a43329

PubMed ID:

31641701

Uncontrolled Keywords:

caries, children, paediatric dentistry, snacks, stevia

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.135217

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/135217

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback