Diversity of bacterial strains and species trapped in chewed gum in comparison with the bacterial diversity in the salivary microbiome and the micobiome adhering to tooth surfaces.

<p>A. The number of bands in DGGE gels in bacterial DNA obtained from pieces of chewed gum as a function of the chewing time. Error bars denote the standard deviation over a group of five volunteers. No statistically significant differences were observed. B. Percentage of species detected in the microbiome adhering to tooth surfaces or in the salivary microbiome relative to the number of species found in chewed gum (10 min of chewing) set at 100%. Error bars denote the standard deviation over a group of five volunteers. No statistically significant differences were observed. C. Percentage of species found in chewed gum based on origin, i.e. found in chewed gum and the adhering microbiome, chewed gum and the salivary microbiome and found in gum and both microbiomes. The category “other origin” indicates species that were solely found in chewed gum and below detection in the salivary and in the adhering microbiome.