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Dental CariesNCT01901250

Xylitol for Caries Prevention in Inner-City Children

A study testing Xylitol gummy bears, Sugar free fiber gummy bears and Oral health education in people with Dental Caries, run by Case Western Reserve University at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purposes of this study is to determine whether xylitol use in kindergarten school children in addition to oral health education, provision of tooth brush and fluoride paste, fluoride varnish and sealant treatment will reduce decay in the first permanent molars and other permanent teeth. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 5 to 6 years
Conditions the study is for
Dental Caries
What is being tested?
Xylitol gummy bears, Sugar free fiber gummy bears and Oral health education
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
562 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Aug 2007to Dec 2011
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 5 to 6 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • attending kindergarten in one of the participating schools
  • must have parental permission

Who cannot join

  • children with severe stomach illness (ex. Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.)
  • children with strict dietary restriction (ex. Diabetes)

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Case Western Reserve University

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44106

Other trials in United States

About this study

The purposes of this study is to determine whether xylitol use in kindergarten school children in addition to oral health education, provision of tooth brush and fluoride paste, fluoride varnish and sealant treatment will reduce decay in the first permanent molars and other permanent teeth.

Read the detailed description

This is a two group, 30 month randomized controlled clinical trial to assess, in conjunction with other primary preventive modalities, the use of xylitol gummy bears as snack food during school hours to reduce dental caries among children attending Kindergarten at the time of recruitment.

Classrooms in five elementary schools were randomized to receive xylitol gummy bears or the control sugar-free (fiber) gummy bears. All gummy bears were formulated to be similar in size, consistency, color, and sweetness. They were in six bright colors attractive to children, and in strawberry and cherry flavors which are popular among children. Children were encouraged to chew the gummy bears slowly to maximize the xylitol exposure time in the mouth. The children received xylitol or placebo gummy bears throughout the 9 month kindergarten year, 3 times/day within the supervised school environment.

In addition to gummy bears, all participating children received oral health education, tooth brushing and fluoridated toothpaste, topical fluoride varnish treatment, and dental sealants when the first permanent molars have completely erupted. This design allows for the comparison between the current best recommended public heath practices and the addition of the new strategy, xylitol gummy bear snacks. Children were enrolled in kindergarten and followed until the middle of 2nd grade.

Conditions
Dental Caries
Being tested
Xylitol gummy bears, Sugar free fiber gummy bears, Oral health education, Fluoride varnish, Dental sealant
Keywords
Dental Caries, Xylitol, Prevention
Medical subject headings
Dental Caries

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Xylitol gummy bearsDietary supplement

    The children receive xylitol gummy bears 3 times/day within the supervised school environment.

  • Sugar free fiber gummy bearsDietary supplement

    The children receive sugar free fiber gummy bears 3 times/day within the supervised school environment.

  • Oral health educationBehavioural

    Oral health education, toothbrush, and fluoride toothpaste

  • Fluoride varnishDevice

    Also called Cavity Shield

    The study dentists apply the varnish on all children twice a year during the study period. The varnish is 5% sodium fluoride and contains 2.26% by weight fluoride ion in a colophony base.

  • Dental sealantDevice

    Also called UltraSeal XT plus

    The study dentists apply the sealant on the children in the second grade when the permanent first molars are fully erupted.

Study groups in NCT01901250
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Xylitol GBExperimentalXylitol gummy bears 7.8g/day throughout the 9 month kindergarten year, oral health education, fluoride varnish, and dental sealant
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Xylitol gummy bears; Behavioral: Oral health education; Device: Fluoride varnish; Device: Dental sealant
Fiber GBPlacebo comparatorSugar free fiber gummy bears 20g/day throughout the 9 month kindergarten year, oral health education, fluoride varnish, and dental sealant
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Sugar free fiber gummy bears; Behavioral: Oral health education; Device: Fluoride varnish; Device: Dental sealant

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in the Number of Decayed or Filled Permanent Teeth (DFT) From Baseline (Beginning of Kindergarten) to the Middle of 2nd Grade

    The primary outcome measure was change in the number of decayed or filled permanent teeth (DFT). Caries was assessed in accordance to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). The ICDAS criteria record both the severity and activity of the lesion on occlusal surfaces, in pit and fissure sites on the buccal and lingual surfaces, and on other smooth surfaces.

    For the purposes of this study, an ICDAS severity score of 3 to 6 and the presence of fillings constituted the "D" and "F" portions of DFT, respectively.

    Measured: baseline and middle of 2nd grade

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted17 Jul 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startAug 2007
  3. Primary completionDec 2011
  4. Study completionDec 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
562 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01901250
Sponsor's protocol ID
11-06-18
Other IDs
R40MC07838
Status last verified
Jul 2014
First submitted
12 Jul 2013
Last updated
12 Aug 2014
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Nelson S, Eggertsson H, Powell B, Mandelaris J, Ntragatakis M, Richardson T, Ferretti G. Dental examiners consistency in applying the ICDAS criteria for a caries prevention community trial. Community Dent Health. 2011 Sep;28(3):238-42.

    PubMed 21916361
  • Nelson S, Milgrom P. Minority participation in a school-based randomized clinical trial of tooth decay prevention in the United States. Contemp Clin Trials. 2012 Jan;33(1):60-6. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2011.09.012. Epub 2011 Oct 1.

    PubMed 21986390
  • Nelson S, Mandelaris J, Ferretti G, Heima M, Spiekerman C, Milgrom P. School screening and parental reminders in increasing dental care for children in need: a retrospective cohort study. J Public Health Dent. 2012 Winter;72(1):45-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-7325.2011.00282.x. Epub 2011 Oct 10.

    PubMed 22316214

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Xylitol gummy bears, Sugar free fiber gummy bears and Oral health education in people with Dental Caries, run by Case Western Reserve University at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Aug 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 12 Aug 2014). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in the Number of Decayed or Filled Permanent Teeth (DFT) From Baseline (Beginning of Kindergarten) to the Middle of 2nd Grade (time frame: baseline and middle of 2nd grade). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01901250, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Aug 2014.

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