Why Xylitol Is Effective in Family Dental Care

When you go for your regular dental examination at your family dental care facility, your dentist will usually recommend tips on how to practice good oral hygiene. They will also recommend avoiding foods that can lead to cavities and tooth decay.

Sugar is one of the products family dental care practitioners tell their patients to avoid because it feeds the bacteria in their mouths and leads to plaque and tooth decay. Starchy foods are also to be avoided because they cause as much damage.

In recent years, dentists have started recommending that their patients switch to a toothpaste that contains xylitol instead of sugar because it reduces their chances of having decayed teeth.

What is xylitol?

Xylitol is an alcohol that is naturally found in a lot of plant materials, including most fruits and vegetables. It is used as an alternative to sugar and can be found in sugar-free gum and other sugar-free types of candy.

Xylitol is becoming more widely used as a sugar substitute because it does not break down the same way sugar does and reduces your chances of having cavities and tooth decay.

Due to its unique composition, xylitol is now being used as a substitute for sugar in toothpaste. According to research, it reduces the risk of getting cavities more than any of the other ingredients used in toothpaste, including fluoride, which used to be considered the most effective ingredient in preventing cavities.

How is xylitol more effective than fluoride?

After the research that claimed xylitol was more effective at fighting cavities than fluoride, some family dental care practitioners were not convinced. However, a study in Finland put all their doubts to rest.

Finnish researchers conducted a study with two groups of women. The first group was given gum with xylitol, while the other group was given fluoride. At the end of the study, the group that was given xylitol had 70 percent less decay than the group given fluoride.

How does it impact your oral hygiene?

When it comes to your teeth, sugar and other artificial sweeteners are broken down by the bacteria in your mouth, creating plaque, which leads to cavities and tooth decay.

When xylitol is broken down by the bacteria in your mouth, it stabilizes the pH balance in your mouth, reducing the acid-producing bacteria, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of cavities or tooth decay, while strengthening your enamel.

Can I buy xylitol toothpaste at the store?

Yes, toothpaste that contains xylitol is available to purchase at any major retailer as well as online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.

Conclusion

Even though sugar tastes great, it has a negative impact on your oral health and can lead to serious teeth and gum issues, which is why a lot of family dental care practitioners are recommending xylitol as an alternative to sugar. If you need more information about xylitol and its benefits, talk to your dentist about it during your next exam.

Request an appointment here: https://smilowfamilydentistry.com or call Smilow Family Dentistry, P.C. at (973) 379-2202 for an appointment in our Springfield Township office.

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