How would you feel if your dentist offered you a candy at the end of treatment?
Most of us see candies and chewing gum as unhealthy for teeth and something to avoid. Today, however, there are sweets that not only avoid harm—they actually help fight oral bacteria and tooth decay (cavities).
The secret of those sweets is the sugar—or rather, the natural sugar substitute they contain. It is called xylitol, a natural substance found in berries, tree bark, fruits, vegetables, and corn cobs—and even produced in small amounts by our own bodies every day. What makes it special is that, unlike sugar—which feeds bacteria and encourages them to multiply and produce enamel-damaging acid—xylitol disrupts bacterial energy cycles and stops their activity. Because oral bacteria cannot digest xylitol, they struggle to multiply and make acid, and acid-producing bacterial counts can fall by as much as 90%. After xylitol use, bacteria also adhere less to tooth surfaces, so less plaque and calculus accumulate—which may help prevent gum problems as well. Chewing increases saliva flow; combined with xylitol it creates a more alkaline saliva that naturally protects enamel and helps repair early defects.
Xylitol adds a pleasant sweet taste to food and can even be used in baking and cooking (1:1 ratio) because it does not break down with heat. The body does not treat it like sugar, so it can be an excellent sugar substitute for people with diabetes and those trying to lose weight: its caloric value is about 40% lower than table sugar and it has about 75% fewer carbohydrates. It is absorbed and processed slowly, so its glycemic index is low and it causes only minor insulin changes.
Sound too good to be true? Wondering why xylitol has not replaced every other sweetener on the market? Fair question. The answer is simple: xylitol costs more than other sweeteners, so manufacturers often find it uneconomical. Still, it is entirely natural and safe, and earned the World Health Organization’s highest safety rating for a food additive. It is so safe that it is even recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women—and it can positively affect the baby’s teeth as well.
How does that work?
The fetus in the womb lives in a nearly sterile environment. Only after birth, and during the early years of life, do cavity-causing bacteria begin to colonize the mouth. Many people do not realize that a baby’s oral bacterial population largely comes from the mother—more precisely from maternal saliva transferred through kissing, shared utensils, blowing on food, cleaning a pacifier in the mother’s mouth, and more. The more the mother maintains a healthier, less caries-promoting bacterial population, the lower her child’s future cavity risk. As explained above, xylitol does exactly that. Daily use in children under 12 may also support long-term oral health. To maximize the anti-caries effect of xylitol products, dose and daily use matter. For xylitol gum, a common recommendation is 2 pieces 3–5 times a day for adults and 1 piece 3–5 times a day for children (about 10–40 g per day). Use xylitol gum or candies right after meals.
Interesting facts about xylitol
- Xylitol was discovered in 1900 and entered the food industry in the 1960s.
- Its discoverer, German chemist Hermann Emil Fischer, won the Nobel Prize for work on sugar and purine synthesis.
- Xylitol is toxic to dogs.
- A Finnish study found that about 8 g of oral xylitol daily may prevent roughly 40% of ear infections.
- In Europe xylitol has been used in managing intraocular pressure and preventing glaucoma.
- Daily use of a xylitol nasal spray can meaningfully reduce respiratory infections, support easier breathing, and help with sinusitis.
- Commercial production from corn cobs is common in China; in Europe, the U.S., and also China it is often derived from wood bark.
MIRADENT xylitol gums and candies are available exclusively at our clinic.