“I kinda got that one wrong!!!

So, you think gum and candy are the things that you have to stay away from if want healthy teeth?

The answer, happily, is ‘no’!

Numerous studies have found that the use of gum and pastilles with xylitol as the sweetener actually have a profoundly positive effect on your dental and periodontal health.

Xylitol is a natural sweetener that elicits a much different response than sucrose, table sugar. As food is left on your teeth after you eat, the bacteria in your mouth change the pH of the plaque on your teeth acidic. This not only initiates the breakdown of your teeth, it is also very toxic and irritating to your gums. Xylitol has the ability to maintain a higher, safer pH in the same situations. This is the basis of the science behind the use of Xylitol.

How does it do it?
Xylitol has the ability to breakdown biofilms. Biofilms are a relatively new discovery. They coat all of the surfaces in your mouth and are the matrix in which the bacteria and plaque set up shop. If you can reduce the biofilms, you can reduce the amount of bacteria and their toxic waste products that can harm your teeth and gums.

Numerous studies around the world have shown a very clear relationship between deliberate, routine Xylitol use and the reduction of decay.

Another benefit of Xylitol is that it can help prevent obesity. Sugar has a glycemic index of 100 while Xylitol’s is 6, meaning it contains a fraction of the carbohydrates. It also allows it to not initiate an insulin response and there is no insulin resistance. It also has a slight laxative effect.

So, you might want to look for gum and candies that contain Xylitol as a part of your preventative dental regime. I found several brands online. You want to find the ones that have the most Xylitol in them to get the maximum results and try to chew them about 5 times each day, preferably right after eating.

Kinda good news, don’t you think?

If you’d like some more innovative approaches to dentistry be sure to stop in and see your friendly neighborhood dentist in Rosemont. You can call Debbie at 610-525-5497.

Cheers,

D