UW Med: Chewing xylitol gum linked to decrease in preterm birth

Trident is sweetened with xylitol

Could the incidence of preterm births be lowered by … chewing gum?

New research suggests “yes.”

Results from a study in Malawi showed that chewing gum containing xylitol, a naturally occurring alcohol sugar, was associated with a 24% reduction in preterm birth. The findings were published today in Med (a Cell Press journal),

Researchers found that the group of pregnant individuals randomized to receive chewing gum also saw a 30% drop in low-birthweight babies, when compared with the control group which did not receive xylitol gum, noted lead author Dr. Greg Valentine, 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,” said Valentine.

The study followed two randomly selected groups of patients over three years in Malawi with over 10,000 participants, noted senior author Dr. Kjersti Aagaard, medical director of HCA Healthcare, who started the study at Baylor University.

A total of 4,549 patient participants received the xylitol chewing gum intervention while 5,520 the control group received traditional counseling and medication. The study was conducted from May 2015 to October 2018. The data analysis and follow-up was completed in October 2021.

Previous research has shown that, during pregnancy, periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) is associated with a two- to threefold increase in risk for preterm birth and low-birthweight delivery.

While little evidence exists to identify the mechanism behind this link, it might be explained by the inflammatory response associated with periodontal disease, or through the spread of bacteria from the mouth through the bloodstream to organs throughout the body, the researchers surmised.

In humans, 1 mm of dental plaque contains 100 million bacteria, including pathogens. These bacteria can cause infection and inflammation throughout the body, the report stated.

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol sweetener used in chewing gum, lozenges and candies that have probiotic properties. Studies have shown that xylitol can both reduce the growth of bacteria strongly associated with periodontal disease and independently reduce inflammation in gum tissues, researchers noted.

--UW Medicine