ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF CHEWING GUM ON THE CONDITION OF THE ORAL CAVITY IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Objective of the study. To evaluate the hygienic and anti-inflammatory effect of chewing gum, the effect of chewing gum on the condition of teeth and fillings in adolescents and young adults. Materials and methods of the study. Dentin caries in Black class I and II cavities was treated in 80 adolescents and young adults aged 14 to 24 years. In the study group, patients used chewing gum as an additional hygiene product for 1 month, while in the comparison group they did not use it. During the clinical examination, the hygienic condition of the oral cavity was assessed using the OHI-S index and the severity of the inflammatory process in periodontal tissues was assessed using the PMA index. To assess the effect of chewing gum on the condition of restorations in permanent teeth, a clinical method was used to assess the marginal integrity of fillings according to G. Ryge, determining the marginal fit of the filling to the hard tissues of the tooth using the electrometric method and the laser fluorescence method. Results. The use of Orbit white sugar-free peppermint classic chewing gum (hereinafter referred to as the study chewing gum) does not have an irritating or sensitizing effect on the oral mucosa. After a month of using the study chewing gum as an additional hygiene product, three pieces a day for 10 minutes, an improvement in the hygienic condition of the oral cavity was noted. After 1 month of use, no negative effect of the study chewing gum on the condition of fillings in permanent teeth was found. When clinically assessing the marginal fit of restorations using the G. Ryge criterion no violation of the fit of fillings to hard dental tissues in class I and II cavities was noted in the groups where the study chewing gum was used and without its use. When assessing the electrical conductivity of hard tissues at the filling-tooth border no differences in the electrical conductivity indicators at the filling-tooth border were found in all study participants in both groups. When studying the marginal integrity of the fillings using the laser fluorescence method, all indicators were equal to zero. All studied parameters indicated good marginal adhesion of the filling material to the dental tissues.