Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to
sugar-free chewing gum and reduction of dental plaque (ID 3084) pursuant
to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006[sup]1[/sup]
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)2, 3
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
Słowa kluczowe:
Sugar-free chewing gum
dental plaque
health claims
oral dryness
plaque acid neutralisation
saliva
tooth mineralisation
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food that is the subject of the health claim is sugar-free chewing gum. The composition of the gum, i.e. gum base and sweetening agent, is unspecified. The characteristic components of chewing gums are the gum base, which may comprise a complex mixture of elastomers, natural and synthetic resins, fats, emulsifiers, waxes, antioxidants, and filler, together with sweetening and flavouring agents (Rømmer Rassing, 1996; Imfeld, 1999). The common characteristic of sugar-free chewing gums is the absence of fermentable carbohydrates (Edgar, 1998; Ly et al., 2008). The ingredients are well characterised, can be measured by established methods, and the principals of the manufacturing process have been described (Rømmer Rassing, 1996). Many ingredients in the gum base and most sweetening agents used in sugar-free chewing gums occur naturally in foods.
Gums with specific active ingredients, such as urea, carbamide or fluoride, are not included in this evaluation.
The Panel considers that the food, sugar-free chewing gum, which is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised.
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
The claimed effect is “reduces plaque formation”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
Dental plaque is found on the tooth surface and consists of a biofilm of microorganisms embedded in a matrix of polymers of host and bacterial origin. Plaque can also become mineralised and form calculus (tartar), a form of hardened dental plaque which provides an ideal medium for further plaque formation.
Fermentation of carbohydrates in the mouth by oral bacteria increases the formation of a type of dental plaque that may contribute to dental caries as well as increase the proportion of cariogenic bacteria in the plaque (Marsh and Nyvad, 2008). Dental plaque can contribute to adverse effects on dental health (e.g. in relation to approximal caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis) when it occurs at sites such as at the cervical third and interdentally below the approximal contact point between teeth, along the gingival margin, and in the fissures and pits of the teeth. “Plaque formation” is usually not measured in clinical or in situ studies, but rather the amount of plaque (or “net” plaque formation).
The Panel considers that reduction of dental plaque may be a beneficial physiological effect.
3. Naukowe uzasadnienia wpływu na zdrowie człowieka - Redukcja płytki nazębnej
A number of studies have indicated that subjects chewing a polyol-containing gum have less plaque (amount) on the teeth than subjects who do not chew a gum in the context of poor oral hygiene (Barnes et al., 2005; Mouton et al., 1975; Steinberg et al., 1992). However, other studies have found little or no effect of chewing sugar-free gum on dental plaque and particularly with regard to plaque along the gingival margin or between the teeth, sites that are most important for dental health (Addy et al., 1982; Ainamo et al., 1979; Imfeld, 1999).
In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account the lack of consistency between studies on the effect of chewing sugar-free gum on dental plaque, particularly with regard to those sites that are most important for dental health.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of sugar-free chewing gum and reduction of dental plaque.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that:
The food, sugar-free chewing gum, which is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised.
The claimed effect is “reduces plaque formation”. The target population is assumed to be the general population. Reduction of dental plaque may be a beneficial physiological effect.
A cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of sugar-free chewing gum and reduction of dental plaque.
