Clinical Significance
The potential short-term savings to the health care system were estimated, but long-term savings were not. If a longer period of assessment had been adopted, the study might have allowed for the
The Big PictureSugar-free gum
Section snippets
Background
Evidence supports the chewing of sugar-free gum (SFG), especially after eating, to reduce the development of dental caries. The increased salivary flow stimulated is associated with a reduced incidence and rate of progression of dental decay. In addition, saliva neutralizes plaque acids, remineralizes tooth enamel, and aids in food debris removal. With greater saliva production come greater benefits. As health care systems deal with increased constraints on their budgets, cost-effective
Methods
A model was created to analyze how much money could be saved (hypothetically) if UK 12-year-olds (a population of 684,817 persons) chewed more SFG. Both number of sticks chewed per year and caries risk reduction were evaluated to create a dose-response curve. Other factors that were considered were the costs associated with tooth restoration, tooth extraction in primary care settings, and tooth extraction under general anesthesia. The effect of caries reduction on these costs was calculated.
Results
The current total expenditure for 12-year-olds’ dental care was £33.4 million annually. If all members of the population chewed SFG twice a day, the dental caries prevention effect would save between £1.2 and £3.3 million each year. Chewing three times a day (after each meal) could save over £8 million annually. Savings were less when an exponential rather than a linear model was used, but in both cases, increased SFG use produced substantial savings.
Discussion
If the entire population of 12-year-olds in the United Kingdom chewed SFG more often, significant cost savings would be realized each year. Therefore, the use of SFG should be encouraged to reduce spending on dental care and the effect of dental disease on the health care system.
References (0)
Cited by (0)
Claxton L, Taylor M, Kay E: Oral health promotion: The economic benefits to the NHS of increased use of sugarfree gum in the UK. Br Dent J 220:121-127, 2016
Reprints available from L Claxton, York Health Economics Consortium, Enterprise House, Innovation Way, Univ of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5NO; e-mail: [email protected]