Xylitol “Sugar” Eases Halloween Dental Worries
If your thoughts turn to your next dentist appointment as you watch your children tear into their Halloween candy, you’ll be happy to know there is actually a type of Sugar that is good for dental health.
Xylitol is a Sugar alcohol which has a similar sweetness to sugar, but actually can help prevent dental cavities. Plaque-causing bacteria that normally thrive in the mouth cannot use Xylitol as a source of nutrition. With continued use of xylitol the number of these “bad” bacteria actually decreases. Xylitol has also been found to help reduce the risk of ear infections in children. It is available in a variety of gums, candies, and granules. The only negative side effect may be some digestive distress if consumed in unusually high doses. The daily dose required to reduce the risk of tooth decay is 5 grams which can easily be met by chewing gum or eating mints after meals.
So let your children enjoy a few pieces of Halloween candy, just follow it up with some Xylitol Gum to keep the bad bacteria from getting a nice sugary meal.
References: http://www.xylitol.org/drmakinen.asp
California Dental Association http://www.cda.org/popup/Xylitol http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1780176/
Tags: Children, Ear infections, Infections, Stress
