Aspartame m a review

Aspartame (APM), a newly available synthetic sweetener approximately 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose, was approved for marketing by the FDA in 1981 following several years of scientific review. It is available in the United States for use as a sweetener in breakfast cereals, powdered beverages, gelatins, puddings, fillings, whipped toppings, chewing gum, soft drinks and as a table-top sweetener. Research to date has shown no harmful effects of APM consumption on the general population when consumed in amounts as much as two to three times the maximum expected daily ingestion levels. Aspartame is not indicated for use by individuals who have phenylketonuria. Dental research on APM has been limited thus far and its effect on dental health is yet to be established. Aspartame (APM), a synthetic sweetener for food and beverages, was given final approval for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 1981. A dipeptide based on two naturally occurring amino acids, aspartame is digested like a protein by the body and is 180-200 times as sweet as sucrose. The objectives of this paper are to review aspartame’s approval by the FDA, to examine the dental research on aspartame, and to discuss the impact of this new sweetener on the dental health of the pediatric population.