Chewing xylitol gum during pregnancy could lower the risk of preterm and low-birthweight babies. Discover how this sweet fix can save lives.

Chewing gum containing xylitol, a naturally occurring alcohol sugar, was associated with a 24% reduction in premature births, revealed a new research conducted in Malawi. The results were published in Med, a Cell Press publication (1).

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Xylitol Conatining Chewing Gum Linked to Low-Birthweight Babies

Researchers discovered that pregnant women who were randomly assigned to chewing gum had a 30% lower rate of low-birthweight babies than the control group who did not receive xylitol gum, according to lead author Dr. Greg Valentine, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

“It surprised us all that such a simple intervention could have such a dramatic effect,” Valentine told the crowd.

The study followed two randomly selected groups of patients in Malawi for three years, with over 10,000 participants, according to senior author Dr. Kjersti Aagaard, medical director of HCA Healthcare, who initiated the research at Baylor College of Medicine.

4,549 patients received the xylitol chewing gum intervention, whereas 5,520 in the control group received standard counseling and medication. The study ran from May 2015 to October 2018. The data analysis and follow-up were finished by October 2021.

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Is Gum Disease Linked with Preterm Birth or Low-Birthweight Delivery?

Previous studies have indicated that periodontal disease (commonly known as gum disease) during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth and low-birthweight delivery by a factor of two to three.

While little evidence exists to determine the mechanism underlying this association, the researchers hypothesized that it could be explained by the inflammatory response associated with periodontal disease or by the transfer of bacteria from the mouth through the circulation to organs throughout the body.

In humans, one millimeter of tooth plaque contains 100 million germs, including pathogens. According to the article, these germs can infect and inflame the entire body.

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What is Xylitol?

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol sweetener used in chewing gum, lozenges, and candies that include probiotics. Researchers discovered that xylitol can inhibit the growth of bacteria significantly related with periodontal disease while also reducing inflammation in gum tissues.

Participants in the Prevention of Prematurity and Xylitol experiment were enrolled prior to becoming pregnant, during early pregnancy (before 20 weeks gestation), and were monitored until birth. Traditional periodontal disease treatments, such as deep cleaning to remove plaque under the gum tissue and encouraging the use of toothbrushes and toothpaste, are difficult to implement in low-resource countries due to a lack of supplies, a shortage of healthcare workers, and a lack of clean running water, according to Valentine.

Chewing Gum Can Enhance Dental Health

He explained that a simple intervention, such as chewing gum, can assist overcome these obstacles by enhancing dental health in a more accessible way.

Participants in the research at eight Malawi health clinics chewed xylitol-containing gum from early pregnancy until delivery.

“Basically, we know that periodontal disease is associated with preterm birth,” he stated. “This is particularly significant in Malawi, since about 70% of the pregnant individuals suffer from gum disease.”

Malawi has one of the highest rates of preterm birth in the world, accounting for up to 20% of all births, according to the experts. According to the report, preterm delivery is the greatest cause of death among children under the age of five in the world.

Valentine is in charge of another Malawi trial, the Prevention of Developmental Delay and Xylitol Study. It follows 1,000 children born during the initial trial to investigate neurodevelopmental effects between the ages of four and eight.

Need to Study that Babies Exposed to Xylitol During Pregnancy Do Not Suffer Long-Term Harm

The study aims to determine whether xylitol during pregnancy impacts children’s development, growth, hearing, and vision. Valentine emphasized the importance of the study in ensuring that youngsters exposed to xylitol do not suffer long-term harm. These results are expected in 2027.

The researchers intend to test the xylitol-gum intervention in pregnancies in underserved Seattle communities, he said.

References:

1. Chewing xylitol gum linked to decrease in preterm birth
   (DOI 10.1016/j.medj.2024.10.016)

Source-Medindia