Sorbitol in chewing gum and how the mouth feels
What it found
Chewing sorbitol gum made people feel their mouths were moister and their teeth smoother for up to 60 minutes.
This happened because sorbitol stuck to the tooth surface, not just from extra saliva.
What they found
Studies in people
Better mouthfeel after chewing
People rated their mouths as moister and their teeth as smoother right after chewing either sorbitol gum. These better feelings lasted up to 60 minutes before returning to normal.
Teeth hold more water
Water spread out more on teeth after chewing sorbitol gum, meaning the surface held water better. This change matched the times when people said their mouths felt moister and smoother.
Magnolia extract made no difference
Adding magnolia bark extract to the sorbitol gum did not change how moist or smooth the mouth felt. It caused only a very small change in how water sat on the teeth.
Studies in people and animals
Sorbitol sticks to teeth
Lab tests on saliva films showed more oxygen linked to sugar-alcohols like sorbitol after gum chewing. Chewing the plain film did not cause this change, so sorbitol itself was sticking to the surface.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that sorbitol sticking to the tooth surface is what improves how the mouth feels after chewing sugar-free gum.
- The authors note that these effects are short-lived and wash away within 60 minutes.
- They advise that adding magnolia bark extract does not change the perceived moistness or smoothness of the mouth.
How it was done
Sugar-free gum is known to help oral health by boosting saliva and clearing food bits. The authors wanted to find out if sorbitol in gum changes how the mouth feels and what happens on the tooth surface.
Ten healthy adults chewed sorbitol gum, with or without added magnolia bark extract, three times a day for four weeks. Five of them also chewed a plain tasteless film as a comparison. Researchers measured how moist and smooth the mouth felt, checked how water behaved on the teeth, and tested saliva films before, right after, and 60 minutes after chewing.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial had only ten people, so the results might differ in a larger group.
- It only looked at effects lasting up to 60 minutes, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
The paper
- Title
- Self-perceived mouthfeel and physico-chemical surface effects after chewing gums containing sorbitol and Magnolia bark extract
- Type
- Clinical trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Wessel SW, van der Mei HC, Slomp AM, van de Belt-Gritter B, Dodds MWJ, Busscher HJ (2017). Self-perceived mouthfeel and physico-chemical surface effects after chewing gums containing sorbitol and Magnolia bark extract. European journal of oral sciences. doi:10.1111/eos.12370Free full textPubMed 28857279DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error