What's the deal about Xylitol

What’s the Deal About Xylitol
August 2010
 

Xylitol is a nontoxic, natural sweetener. The crystals look and taste just like sugar and can be used as a sugar substitute in practically every type of recipe.
And here’s more really good news!  Xylitol does not promote tooth decay and it also helps to prevent it.
To understand how Xylitol works we need to remember how decay starts.
Decay begins when plaque, which is actually bacteria, is exposed to any sugar. It will ingest it and excrete an acid. This acid then starts to eat away at the tooth. It first demineralizes the tooth, and this is followed by active decay.
Well as it turns out, plaque has a tremendous affinity for Xylitol, even more than for regular table sugar. However plaque cannot digest or feed on it and, therefore cannot convert it to acid. Then, the bacteria, the plaque ultimately dies.
So the end result is the Xylitol prevents the acid from forming because there’s much less plaque remaining to form the acid. 
 

This is a great 1-2 punch! Less plaque means less acid, which means less decay and fewer gum problems. Everyone wins . . . well except for your dentist!  But as your dentist, I do feel obligated to let you in on.
Xylitol can be found in breathe mints, candy, and granules.  Because it has the consistency of sugar, you can cook with it. One cup of Xylitol is equal to one cup of sugar. 
You may be aware that Xylitol chewing gums has existed for years, but this is not a high enough concentration to offer the most effectiveness. Xylitol is also used as a natural sweetener, but also isn’t insufficient concentration to destroy the plaque.  Why?  Xylitol has one side effect.  If too much Xylitol is ingested, it can act as a laxative.  So you can imagine the effect if a company has a nationally marketed chewing gum that gives some people diarrhea, sales would probably plummet!  Therefore, they weaken the concentration.
The best defense is to introduce the product slowly to see how your system does. A therapeutic daily dose of Xylitol is 8-10 grams per day.
 

My Recommendations on what to buy, where to buy and how to use: 
 Spry® Breath Mints and Chewing Gum – Xlear.com, Whole Foods, Market Street, The Vitamin Shoppe
I use 1 breath mint 2X a day.  It would be best to take the last mint at bedtime after you have brushed your teeth. This way the Xylitol can better stay on your teeth all night when your saliva slows down. Try not to chew them, let them dissolve. The mints taste great. Use the chewing gum as any other.
Xylitol Granules: Whole Foods Market and most health food stores. 
 

Use Xylitol as a sugar substitute in your drinks.  Use it in your morning coffee, afternoon tea, lemonade, etc. The taste is not quite the same as sugar, but we have all become accustomed to the taste of artificial sweeteners. But please do hear me here – I’m concerned about sugar in your drinks, but there are volumes of reports on the side effects of artificial sweeteners, especially neurological, that can be found on the internet. It is alarming, and I do not think they’re worth the risk.
 

Oxyfresh Toothpaste and Mouth Rinse:  Oxyfresh power paste, power rinse, and mouth rinse all contain Xylitol.  These products are available at our office.  Oxyfresh has been a leader in the dental product field since 1984. These products keep your mouth clean and odor free, and also protect cosmetic dental work.
Xlear Nasal Spray:  Xlear.com, Whole Foods Market, Market Street, and most health food stores.

A Personal Note: During the fall and winter months, I use the Xlear Nasal Spray in the morning. The Xylitol in Xlear helps combat the unhealthy bacteria that may cause upper respiratory infections.  Virus and bacteria enter thru the nasal passage, where the receptor sites are located. Studies have shown that daily use of a saline nasal spray, which cleans the receptor sites, can reduce upper respiratory infections. Using Xlear is not a cure all, but an extra aid in staying healthy during the winter months when we’re susceptible to ear and sinus infections.
 

Note:  You will be notified on updates and my recommendations through the office email system and Dr. Ron Bosher on Facebook. Just go to Facebook and become a fan. You can also access the newsletters on our blog at www.drbosher.com 
100% Xylitol Chewing Gums, Mints, and Candies
Spiffies Gum www.spiffies.com
Spry Gum, Mints, and Candies www.xlear.com
Zapp! Gum   www.zappgum.com
Next week my first local restaurant recommendation