The Effect of Sorbitol - Containing Candy on Caries Activity Levels of Mutans Streptococci in Plaque

Dental caries on population presents a tremendous challenge to the dental profession in population. In the attempt to lower the sugar consumption in population is to exchange the number of sugar sweeteners which manufacture produced for used in foods, drinks and candy with non-sugar sweetener as sorbitol. Sorbitol is effective as non cariogenic substitutes for use in place of glucose. Objectives: Clinical trial was carried out to an investigate the effect of sugar-candy containing sorbitol on caries activity levels of mutans streptococci in plaque for a period 1 month consumption. Method: Twenty respondents participated as the subjects on the clinical trial, conducting two times of treatment as follows: twenty as treatment group, before and after consuming sorbitol-containing candy, and twenty subjects as control group, before and after consuming sucrose-containing candy. Plaque samples were taken from small discrete areas of buccal tooth surfaces with the tip of sterile toothpick then the tips were cut off and put directly in a small tube of Cariostat were incubated in Gas-pack jar for 3 days at 37 Celsius degree . Data which were obtained from Cariostat were analyzed using percentages based on grades changing pH of Cariostat. Results: showed that there is no significance of caries activity levels of mutans streptococci in plaque between before and after consuming sucrosecontaining candy. However, a significant difference was found respectively as results of before and after consuming sorbitol-containing candy. Conclusion: Therefore it could be concluded that sorbitol-containing candy is effective in inhibiting caries activity levels of mutans streptococci in plaque.