By now, you have probably heard about Xylitol gum, but you aren’t sure why it is such a big deal. Isn’t it just another artificial sweetener? Not at all!

While Xylitol looks and tastes much like sugar, it will not raise blood sugar levels the way sugar does. And since it’s found in many fruits and vegetables, Xylitol is considered natural. You even produce a little of it in your metabolism process!

But here is where the team at my dental office in Little Falls gets really excited about Xylitol: Xylitol has powerful benefits for your oral health!

Chewing a piece of Xylitol gum instead of choosing sugary snacks can:

• Prevent tooth decay
• Starve bacteria
• Prevent oral inflammation
• Reduce your risk for gum disease

It’s true! How does it work? Well, one of the most common causes of oral health problems is a bacteria called Streptococcus mutans — the bacteria mostly responsible for plaque. Sugar and other carbohydrates feed this bacteria. Or, in other words, this bacteria ingests the sugar we eat. It also ingests the Xylitol, but instead of being nourished by it, they are starved and die. Yep, you got it — oral bacteria levels drop, sometimes by up to 75%!

And that’s not all.

• Chewing Xylitol gum increases saliva production which protects your teeth and remineralizes them with naturally occurring calcium and phosphate.
• Acidity in your mouth can lead to enamel erosion. Xylitol in gum or mints can reduce the acidity of your saliva.
• Xylitol can help your body better absorb calcium which we all know can strengthen your teeth.

To learn more about how chewing Xylitol can benefit your oral health, or for suggestions about which Xylitol products to choose give my Little Falls dental office a call.

Accepting patients from Little Falls, Totowa, and Montclair.