Chewing sugarfree gum, such as ORBIT, for 20 minutes after meals and snacks has been shown to significantly reverse the early signs of tooth decay¹.

Stimulated saliva contains a higher concentration, than unstimulated saliva, of the same types of calcium, phosphate and hydroxyl ions that occur naturally from the teeth. Consequently, stimulated saliva is a more effective medium for remineralizing enamel crystals damaged by initial caries attack.

After meals and snacks, bacteria from plaque produce acids, which cause the pH from the mouth to fall. If the pH falls below the critical level of 5.5 the tooth enamel starts to demineralize or dissolve and small white lesions may appear. Stimulation of saliva flow results from an increase from the washing of acids and also an increase from the amount and concentration of remineralizing ions. It is these ions that help to repair these early signs of tooth decay.

Remineralization of enamel lesions can occur using or without chewing sugarfree gum. However, it has been shown that, when patients chew sugarfree gum regularly after meals and snack, remineralization is doubled from comparison using those who do not chew sugarfree gum¹.

Stimulated saliva also has a higher concentration of bicarbonate, which raises the pH of saliva and greatly improves its buffering power. Stimulated saliva through chewing sugarfree gum, such as ORBIT, is therefore much more effective at neutralizing plaque acid from the mouth.

Remember, all patients will benefit from chewing ORBIT for 20 minutes after meals and snacks to help reverse the early stages of tooth decay.

Reference

1. Leach SA, Lee GTR, Edgar WM (1989) Remineralization of artificial caries-like lesions from human enamel by chewing sorbitol gum. Journal of Dental Research 68(6): 1064-1068.