The additional information of bitewing radiographs in the detection of established or severe dentinal decay in 14-year olds: a cross-sectional study in low-caries population.

Aim: To reveal the additional value of radiographic bitewings (BW) in detection of caries and in comparing the occurrence of clinically undetected severe decay between 14-year olds with and without clinically observed dentinal caries in a low-caries prevalence population.

Design: The cross-sectional study used 363 pairs of radiographs read by one examiner without knowledge of the clinical findings. The yield was analyzed on a tooth surface level by cross tabulating the clinical and radiographic information and on an individual level by counting the number of yield surfaces for all subjects.

The caries-preventive effect of xylitol/maltitol and erythritol/maltitol lozenges: results of a double-blinded, cluster-randomized clinical trial in an area of natural fluoridation.

Objective: Xylitol studies suggest caries reductions in the order of 50%. Based on animal/microbial studies, erythritol potentially has caries-preventive properties. However, clinical studies are required to confirm this.

Xylitol and erythritol decrease adherence of polysaccharide-producing oral streptococci.

Xylitol consumption decreases counts of mutans streptococci. However, the mechanism behind this decrease is not well understood. We studied not only type strains and clinical isolates of mutans streptococci, but also other polysaccharide-forming oral streptococci.