Some 154 first to fifth graders were gathered from two elementary schools in the state of Washington. Their mouths were all checked for plaque and bacteria at the beginning of the experiment and six weeks after. Each pupil was given four gummy bears that contained either xylitol or maltitol three times a day.
Xylitol and maltitol are types of sugars put in sugarless chewing gums.
Results show that after six weeks, the bacteria build up responsible for cavities had significantly decreased in children who ate the candies.
Lead researcher Kiet A. Ly from the University of Washington said that gummy bears may be more effective than chewing gums in promoting oral health programs to primary school children.
The gummy bears used in the study are not yet available in the U.S.
In Finland, a national campaign encourages children to use xylitol products to reduce tooth decay. In Europe, China and Japan, chewing gums made with xylitol are widely sold.
