Materials and methods
Thirty patients were enrolled. They were aged 12 years or older, and
they had presented with aural fullness, hearing loss, ear popping,
and/or ear discomfort. Ear microscopy was used by an otologist to
establish a diagnosis of OME. Once OME was confirmed, the patients were
sent for pure tone audiometry, given 84 tabs of xylitol gum, and
requested to chew 2 gums for 5–10 minutes or until they were tasteless,
3 times a day. The patients were also provided with a logbook to record
how many gums they used and how frequently they were chewed.
Excluded from the study were patients with craniofacial anomalies,
nasopharyngeal lesions, diabetes mellitus, previous ear and/or nasal
cavity surgery, prior head and neck radiation, or an inability to chew
gum due to a limitation (such as osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular
joint).
The follow-up sessions were at 2, 6, and 12 weeks. At each visit, the
patients were examined by microscopy by an otologist, and they underwent
an audiometric assessment. A package of gum was given along with a new
logbook if middle-ear fluid was still confirmed. However, if the fluid
was found to have resolved at the subsequent follow-up appointment, the
patients were told to cease using the gum. On the other hand, if the
middle-ear fluid persisted until the final follow-up at 12 weeks, a
myringotomy was performed.