Abstract

PADILLA-CACERES, Tania Carola et al. Effect of a toothpaste with xylitol on Streptcococcus mutans in patients with fixed orthodontics. Vive Rev. Salud [online]. 2022, vol.5, n.13, pp.245-256.  Epub May 27, 2022. ISSN 2664-3243.  https://doi.org/10.33996/revistavive.v5i13.145.

Orthodontic therapy produces a greater accumulation of bacterial plaque in patients, with oral ecological changes that cause an increase in the number of mutans streptococci, so it is important to have an adequate oral hygiene that helps to reduce bacteria and prevent caries. Objective. The purpose was to compare the effect of the use of a toothpaste with xylitol on the Streptococcus mutans count in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. Material and methods. A single-blinded quasi-experimental study was carried out. The sample consisted of 34 adolescent patients with fixed orthodontic appliances of both sexes who met the established criteria. All were instructed in a brushing technique and randomly assigned to one of two groups: 17 patients in the experimental group used a toothpaste with xylitol and 17 patients in the control group used a conventional toothpaste with fluoride. Both groups had bacterial plaque taken and processed microbiologically at the beginning of the study and at 3 and 5 weeks to evaluate the streptococcus mutans count. Results. The T-Student test showed that there were fewer colony-forming units in patients who used xylitol toothpaste with the difference being significant at the fifth week of use (˂ 0.0001). Conclusions. There is greater effectiveness of toothpaste with xylitol in relation to toothpaste with fluoride alone in the Streptococcus mutans count; however, patients in both groups had fewer colony-forming units.

Keywords : Fluoride; Orthodontic treatment; Toothpaste; Streptococcus mutans; Xylitol.

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