Nutrition What is Xylitol?
Xylitol is Naturally Delicious
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in many fruits and vegetables. It is as sweet as table sugar, yet xylitol contains fewer calories and carbohydrates, and has a much lower glycemic index. Unlike some artificial sugar substitutes, xylitol has been used safely by children and adults worldwide for several decades.
A Healthy Revolution
In the 1970s, researchers at Turku University, Helsinki, conducted a series of scientific studies showing xylitol inhibits caries causing bacteria's ability to adhere to teeth and tissues of the mouth, nose and throat. Years of further clinical research confirms that using xylitol regularly helps reduce dental plaque and promotes better oral health. Xylitol has a cariostatic effect, is non-fermentable, and cannot be metabolized to harmful plaque acids. Other studies have indicated that xylitol usage reduces incidents of chronic ear infections, and health care products containing xylitol can protect nasal passages and sinuses by washing away bacteria, pollutants, pollens and other irritants.
With numerous subsequent clinical studies demonstrating the vast health benefits of daily xylitol use, dental associations in the United States, Finland, Norway, Sweden, England, Ireland have endorsed xylitol as effective in combating caries disease and promoting better oral health. In addition to the ADA, xylitol is approved by the World Health Organization and has the FDA's safest rating. It is used, prescribed, and recommended by health professionals throughout the world. Many consumers have not yet learned of xylitol's benefits, partly due to its limited availability in the past. Today, many affordable and delicious xylitol-based products are available to your patients.
Stop Tooth Decay with Xylitol
It has been demonstrated conclusively that tooth decay can be stopped cold by a simple change in diet. Here is how it works:
Simply remove all the sugar in your diet and replace it with xylitol. Does this sound impossible? In the strict sense, it is impossible. There are many natural food items which contain at least some sugar.
But in practical terms, this experiment was conducted in Finland in the early 1970’s. At that time several natural sweeteners were being considered as substitutes for sugar. The most promising of these was xylitol, because xylitol provides the same taste as sugar with reduced calories. Xylitol could be produced from locally available birch wood by the Finnish sugar company. Preliminary tests also showed that xylitol is completely safe for teeth.
A group of closely monitored volunteers used a diet that substituted xylitol for sugar wherever practicable. Besides using xylitol in their sugar bowls, they were provided with a wide variety of sugar-free processed foods that were sweetened with xylitol. They were given specially prepared bakery goods, confectioneries, jams, ice cream, soft drinks, sauces and dressings all sweetened only with xylitol.
Much More than Chewing Gum
The Turku Sugar Studies established that surprisingly small amounts of xylitol can dramatically reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Today, by far the most common application worldwide for xylitol is in chewing gum. Gum is considered an ideal delivery system to get xylitol in contact with tooth surfaces over a period of time.
Chewing gum can be problematic for those with jaw joint problems and in situations where residue is a nuisance. Subsequent research has demonstrated similar dental benefits in other products that promote chewing or sucking where xylitol is present as the sole or principal sweetener. Xylitol candy was used effectively to prevent tooth decay in several international trials including Russia, Hungary, and Estonia.
Other than chewing gum, the best xylitol products where xylitol can be in frequent or prolonged contact with the teeth. Candy tablets can be almost entirely compressed xylitol. Breath mints, nutritional supplements, chewable vitamins and syrup medications can be made with a very high percentage of xylitol.
Xylitol is becoming a more popular ingredient to sweeten in a wide range of oral hygiene products. Breath mints and dry mouth sprays are convenient vehicles to frequently deliver small amounts of xylitol throughout the day.
An interesting innovation is a thick xylitol syrup or tooth gel. This product contains a high concentration of xylitol combined with a soluble calcium source. It was originally designed to prevent tooth decay in primary (baby) teeth, but can also provide a cosmetic enhancement by mineralizing adult teeth.
Fluoride toothpaste was found to be significantly more protective against tooth decay with the addition of at least 10% xylitol. This is very important because we recommend using xylitol at least three, and preferably five times each day. Simply brushing with xylitol toothpaste morning and night automatically gives us two uses.
When selecting these products, take a close look at the ingredients. Make certain that xylitol is the first sweetener listed on the label.
-- by Dr. John Peldyak
