Do You Use Xylitol Yet? Great Benefits of Xylitol for Teeth

Disclosure: Samples were provided. All opinions are honest and are my own.

I first learned about the awesome health benefits of xylitol several years ago from my mother-in-law. She’s always on the cutting edge of the latest products for health. Our oldest son, who was then 2 years old was having terrible problems with seasonal allergies in Utah.  My mother-in-law gave us some Xlear Nasal Spray to try. It wasn’t until a couple years after that we learned that xylitol not only benefits the nasal passages. There are also huge benefits of xylitol for teeth!

For those who are unfamiliar with xylitol, here are a few questions and answers about xylitol uses.

How is xylitol different from other sweeteners?

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol. It is different from sweeteners like sorbitol, fructose and glucose because its molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms. It is much sweeter than sorbitol, for instance. In terms of calories, xylitol is the same sweetness sucrose (table sugar), but has 40% fewer calories. Most bacteria and yeast in the mouth are unable to make use of xylitol. Xylitol is important because it may help to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Is xylitol safe for low-sugar diets?

Yes. Classified on labels as a carbohydrate, xylitol has been used in foods since the 1960’s and is approved in the U.S. as a food additive in unlimited quantity for foods with special dietary purposes. It is safe for use in any low-sugar or sugar-controlled diet.

Is xylitol safe?

Yes it is. In 1983, JECFA, a joint expert committee of WHO and FAO, confirmed the fact, already known by scientists, that it is a safe sweetener for foods. The FDA also confirmed this fact in 1986.

What are the benefits of xylitol for teeth?

Xylitol may help reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Xylitol gum or mints, stop acids in the mouth from cavity causing bacteria. Because the bacteria in the mouth causing dental caries are unable to ferment xylitol in their metabolism, their growth is reduced. The number of acid-producing bacteria may fall as much as 90%. Research has shown that the use of xylitol gum or mints also helps correct damage to tooth enamel.

Why is xylitol an important aid in cavity prevention?

Xylitol is one of the most important alternatives to sugar. It is a health-promoting sweetener. That is why xylitol chewing gum and mints play an important role as instruments of dental care.

You can find more Q&A’s about xylitol on the Xlear website.

One of the major complaints I hear about xylitol is that it is often derived from corn and thus, much xylitol is GMO. Spry xylitol is pharmaceutical grade, meaning it must be more than 99.95% pure, and is made from non-GMO (non-genetically modified organism) corn fibers. Spry xylitol products do not contain any of the corn grain and it is tested to ensure that no corn allergens, mycotoxins, or corn proteins of any type are in the product.

Now, back to my story of my eldest son. Due to advice from our pediatrician (advice which is no longer given to parents), we fed our son copious amounts of juice for a few years when he was little in order to increase his caloric intake. While we now understand just why this advice is so terrible and is no longer given to parents, our oldest child’s teeth have suffered greatly because of it.

A few years ago, after a $1000 dental bill for my son we learned about the benefits of xylitol for teeth.

Yeah, that mom is totally me!

This time it was my sister-in-law (I love my in-laws!) who introduced us to Spry gum. Since learning about the benefits of Xylitol for teeth a few years ago, we’ve been regular consumers of Spry Xylitol Dental Defense System products. Thanks to Spry Dental products we are all using xylitol toothpaste, and my husband and I follow that up with Spry Xylitol Mouthwash. I love that they even have a xylitol toothpaste for toddlers!

We keep our xylitol mints in the car so we can have a fun little treat whenever we are out and about (which, with 3 kids is often).  I love that Spry makes xylitol candies for kids. My kids love the SparX! They love the fruity, sweet taste, and I love that SparX are actually good for their teeth!

And, I have a little confession to make. We only buy non-sweetened or very lightly-sweetened cereal. But I hate really dislike plain Cheerios and Chex so I sprinkle about half a teaspoon (or about 2 grams) of XyloSweet onto my cereal and I’m good. I love the taste of xylitol. It doesn’t taste any different than sugar. I love that I can sweeten my cereal and feel good about it! *The bag shown is actually a different sweetener than I use. Last time I was at our health food store I picked up a bag of XyloSweet which is 100% xylitol and 1/3 the calories of sugar. The product shown, LiteSweet which is the same brand as XyloSweet, is a mixture of xylitol and erythritol and has less than 1/4 the calories of sugar.

I’m so excited to have found out about all the great benefits of xylitol for teeth! I was so tired of going to the dentist and having a ton of cavities every time. After having fillings at almost every dentist appointment for the past 6 years or so, I’ve now been cavity-free for the last year and a half! My son, who is now 7, has had considerably fewer cavities. If we can just only get him to consistently brush twice a day we will be all good.

You can learn more about Spry Xylitol Dental products made by Xlear at their website: http://www.xlear.com. You can also check out Spry Xylitol for teeth products products on Amazon.com.