The effect of dental plaque grown in the presence of xylitol or sucrose on bone resorption in vitro.

Bone culture was used as an experimental model in studying the ability of dental plaque grown in the presence of xylitol or sucrose to induce bone resorption. Plaque samples were collected in young adults after six or ten days with no oral hygiene and with frequent use of xylitol- or sucrose-sweetened chewing gum. The rate of resorption was assayed by measuring the release of both acid phosphatase and 45Ca from bones into culture media during a three-day incubation period. Sucrose-induced plaque collected after ten days increased both of these indicators of bone resorption, while xylitol plaque decreased or had no effect under identical conditions. Xylitol consumption induced a marked increase in acid phosphatase activity of dental plaque - a phenomenon which would appear to be unrelated to bone resorption. The results suggest that the inflammatory potential of dental plaque may be reduced during xylitol consumption as compared to sucrose consumption.