Get a Healthy Smile with Xylitol

Keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape with this healthy natural sweetener

BY SHERRIE STRAUSFOGEL

Sweet news: daily use of xylitol in your oral care can prevent cavities and help stop plaque from sticking to your teeth. Research has shown that xylitol can even help repair damage to the enamel. And it makes toothpaste, mouthwash, and even floss taste great!

Xylitol is a low-digestible carbohydrate found in the fibrous parts of fruits and vegetables such as plums, strawberries, cauliflower, and pumpkin, as well as in fibrous cornhusks and birch trees. Pure xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar. But instead of eroding your teeth like sugar does, it’s actually tooth-friendly.

The bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar, causing them to multiply rapidly. This metabolic process produces acids that can eat away the enamel on your teeth, causing tooth decay. Research shows that xylitol’s molecular structure makes it unable to be digested by the bacteria in the mouth, so they stop multiplying.

When you use xylitol in your daily oral care, it stops the acid attack that would otherwise last for over half an hour after eating. According to studies, the amount of acidproducing bacteria may decrease as much as 90 percent with xylitol. When no acid is formed, the pH of saliva stays neutral at 7. When saliva pH is boosted above 7, calcium and phosphate salts in the saliva help to harden weak enamel and repair early cavities.

1 Defend your teeth from buildup with Xlear Spry Anti- Plaque Tartar Control Toothpaste. Xylitol and cranberry extract inhibit bacteria from adhering to teeth and gums. This fluoride-free toothpaste also contains aloe to soothe gums and natural peppermint to freshen breath.

2 Clean your teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach with Radius Vegan Floss Sachets with Natural Xylitol. The vegan floss is soft and spongy, and spun in candelilla plant wax for easy grab-and-grip. It’s flavored with plant-based xylitol, mint, and anti-bacterial tea tree for a fresh, clean mouth. The portable Floss Sachets are perfect for travel.

3 Get back to basics with Redmond Earthpaste. This toothpaste contains five ingredients, and they all come from the earth: water, Redmond clay, salt, essential oils, and xylitol. There’s no glycerin, fluoride, foaming agents, or coloring. Five of the six flavors are sweetened with xylitol. (Unsweetened Spearmint doesn’t contain xylitol.)

4 Polish, gently whiten, and protect your teeth with My Magic Mud Peppermint Turmeric Tooth Powder. This formula blends the natural, medicinal powers of organic turmeric with the optimal oral-defense properties of xylitol and cold-pressed cacao husk. Put a little of the powder under your tongue, wet your brush, and brush for two minutes.

5 Protect your teeth from decay and gently whiten with Tom’s of Maine Sea Salt Anticavity Toothpaste in Refreshing Mint. Xylitol from birch trees or corn, purified sea salt, and hydrated silica gently scrub away surface stains, protect teeth from acid attacks, and fight bad breath germs. Fluoride helps remineralize weakened enamel and reverses early signs of tooth decay. Look for the first-of-its-kind recyclable toothpaste tube by the end of 2020.