Elevating the use of sugar-free chewing gum in Germany: cost saving and caries prevention

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the lifetime monetary and health related effects of the consumption of sugar-free chewing gum. Material and methods: Using a Markov model we assumed that the German consumption of sugar-free chewing gum (111 gums/year) could be elevated to the level of Finland (202 gums/year). The calculation was based on a model patient representing the development of oral health from the age of 12 to 74 years and clinical data on the effectiveness of chewing sugar-free gum. Lifetime and yearly costs for the ‘Finland-scenario’ were determined and compared with the actual German expenses of the statutory health insurance companies for dental health. Results: The actual total lifetime expenditures of the statutory health insurance companies are 17,199.96€ per capita and would be 12,188.94€ in the scenario with elevated consumption of sugar-free chewing gum in Germany. Thus, 5011.02€ per capita could be saved in a lifetime and 80.82€ per year. Conclusions: On a national scale, the elevation of the consumption of sugar-free chewing gum in Germany to the level of Finland would lead to a considerable benefit for cost saving and oral health for the statutory health insurance companies.