Dental Health Imaging, Jobs, Education & Resources

A number of dental professionals in the US have encouraged the use of sugarfree chewing gum to fight tooth decay. It is recommended that high risk patients use this gum during the day to reduce the incidence of decay.

A panel of experts, convened by the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs, released a report this month. The report encouraged the use of sugarfree chewing gum, in addition to lozenges and sweets, such as xylitol or polyol compounds. The report also said that varnish with chlorhexidine and thymol may be useful against cavities.

The report added that these procedures were to be followed in combination to a program using fluoride-containing products. The full report can be check at the ADA's Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) website. It is also published in the September issue of The Journal for the American Dental Association.

The Dental Hub recently published an article on Xylitol. See: Time-released Xylitol for additional information on xylitol in dentistry. Meanwhile, the panel recommended using a combination of cholrhexidine-thymol varnish on teeth of high-risk individuals. The combination is to be used every 3 months to decrease cavities.