The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of three times a day mastication, during a follow-up period of 4 weeks, of two sugar-substituted chewing gums on various factors associated with dental caries and gingivitis.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the effect of daily consumption of two sugar-free chewing gum, one with Recaldent and one with Xylitol, added to traditional hygiene (brushing, fluoridated toothpaste and dental floss), in clinical features such as the accumulation of plaque and gingival inflammation, microbiological characteristics of saliva as the counts of cariogenic microorganisms and facultative anaerobes, and some physicochemical properties of saliva such as pH and concentrations of calcium and inorganic phosphate.

To this there was a general call among dental students at the University of Antioquia and those who expressed their intention to participate voluntarily with informed consent, were examined clinically and randomly assigned to one of the study groups (Recaldent or Xylitol) or the control group.

After a month of baseline examination and the daily use of the same instruments of oral hygiene and chewing of 6 pellets of each chewing gum (in the case of study groups), all variables are re-examined.

Inclusion Criteria:

• systemically healthy
• dental student

Exclusion Criteria:

• less than 26 teeth in mouth
• use of orthodontic appliances
• use of antibiotics the last 3 months