Xylitol. It’s time that you began ADDING this sugar to your diet. What is xylitol? Xylitol is a natural sugar; it is even made by the human body when it metabolizes ingested carbohydrates. Xylitol can be used as a sugar substitute ( a cane sugar substitute). It is safe for diabetics, as it has a low glycemic index. It is also lower calorie than traditional sugar. We harvest most xylitol today from corn stalk fiber.
In dentistry, research has shown that xylitol reduces caries rate. This means that xylitol works to reduce your risk for cavities. Along with brushing, flossing and using fluoride, regular exposure to xylitol will prevent cavities!
How does xylitol work? Xylitol prevents cavities in several ways. One way is that it keeps the pH of the mouth at a level that makes it hard for cavity-causing bacteria to degrade your teeth. Xylitol also helps prevent plaque accumulation on the teeth. Oral bacteria thrive in the presence of sugar, but not in the presence of xylitol.
You can cook with xylitol. So go ahead, make a lower calorie version of chocolate chip cookies with it. Or, begin chewing xylitol gum. We have xylitol sugar packets at our office. Ask to sample them. Or, buy a pack of xylitol gum from us and fight tooth decay! 5 exposures to xylitol daily will prevent cavities. Just make sure you don’t ingest more than 50g a day.
Our office is always striving to help our patients PREVENT dental health diseases. We want to keep our patients at their optimal oral health, and xylitol can help!
Keeping you healthy,
Dr. Frankel
