KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF DENTAL STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS ABOUT XYLITOL PRODUCTS FOR CARIES PREVENTION IN A PRIVATE DENTAL COLLEGE OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Background: Xylitol, a carbohydrate originating from xylose, is a naturally occurring sweetener that has been recognized for more than a hundred years. Initially identified in the late 1800s, it exists in small quantities of foods like strawberries and cauliflower.1 The carbohydrate xylitol is derived from xylose, a natural sweetener. It has been identified for almost a century. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was carried out at Private dental colleges in KP, between February 2023 and May 2024. Participants included clinical-year BDS students, house officers, lecturers, and senior lecturers, while individuals who declined verbal consent were excluded. The calculated sample size was 196 using OpenEpi software. A purposive sampling method was employed for participant selection. Data collection involved a questionnaire administered by the principal investigator. The survey contained 19 items, split into two parts: demographic questions and awareness-related questions. Awareness was quantified by scoring correct answers as 1 and incorrect as 0. Results: The response rate was 80%, with a median participant age of 23 years. Most respondents were female (52.6%), and a majority were students (58.2%) or house officers (21.4%). Regarding awareness, only 35.2% were aware of the recommended xylitol dosage, while awareness of potential side effects like diarrhea (50%), bloating (34.7%), nausea (30.6%), constipation (21.4%), and weight gain (20.9%) was low. Half of the participants knew xylitol was available in chewing gum form, followed by toothpaste (39.3%). Conclusion: Awareness was notably influenced by the source of information, with academic references yielding better results.