The Amazing Xylitol

As a part of my license retention, continuing education hours are needed each year. In recent months, I attended a class which spoke, in part, about xylitol. In a previous post, I mentioned xylitol, yet from another speaker at a continuing education class. There seems to be a common theme about this xylitol business. So what's the big deal?

Xylitol was first discovered in Finland. During WWII, Finland chose not to participate in the war and closed it's boarders. Because of this, Finland was cut off by the outside world. Since the country had to use its own resources, they extracted sugar from birch trees. When the war was over, dentists soon realized the children in Finland had very little tooth decay.

The sugars extracted in the birch trees was named xylitol. Xylitol is in all fruits and vegetables. As a matter of fact, our own bodies produce about a tablespoon a day. It is to plants what glucose is to humans. Today, it's found in sugar-free gums, candy, and toothpastes. This product is different from the other sugars in that bacteria (all Strep and Yeast) cannot digest it, so there is a reduction in plaque and biofilm in the mouth with using it frequently. Sucrose is a 6-carbon chain that is taken in by the bacteria, metabolized, and used for energy. Xylitol is a 5-carbon chain, so bacteria pumps it in thinking its time to eat, but soon realize they’ve made a mistake. The bacteria uses up all its energy trying to pump it out.

Marketed a sugar substitute, it is not calorie free. It has a glycemic value of 7 and has 40% less calories than sugar. This is good news for diabetics and those watching their calorie intake. Xylitol has been used in many areas from fighting tooth decay to sinus infections. Exposure times are key though. In order to get the maximum benefit from xylitol, multiple exposures throughout the day must be made. The bacteria is hungry, and feeding it on a regular basis will decrease overall oral plaque by 70%.

You will want to use products that are 100% sweetened with xylitol. They can be found in your local health food store or on-line. Other products containing xylitol can be purchased in retail stores, but there is not enough of the substance to really make a difference. If going to the health food store to purchase 100% xylitol gum is out, then purchase Ice Breakers gum. It has the most xylitol than any of the other gums.

So here's the instructions on caries prevention in children:

• In the morning before school, chew 2 pieces of gum after brushing teeth. • Place one packet of Xylosweet (4 grams) in a water bottle at room temperature and pack for lunch. • Give the child either 2 mints or 5-6 Sparx candies to have after lunch. • Give the child 2 pieces of gum to chew when they get home from school. • Give the child 5-6 pieces of Sparx candies or 2 mints after tooth brushing at bedtime.

I personally have tried all the flavors and find them to be satisfactory. I have a jar of the gum on my kitchen counter and my family (throughout the day) will periodically reach in a grab a couple of pieces. This is NOT recreational gum. The flavor only lasts about 10 minutes. This gum is used to help keep the oral flora healthy and prevent tooth decay by eliminating as many Strep-bacteria as possible.

NOTE: XYILTOL IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO DOGS! PLEASE KEEP OUT OF REACH OF YOUR PETS!

Look for future posts for specifics on how to use xylitol for sinus problems, dry mouth, and other uses.

Health-bite: 3-5 exposures of xylitol to prevent tooth decay

Why Xylitol For Tooth Decay?

Oh no, not another artificial sweetener!  Don't we have enough already?  Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, what's next?

While most other artificial sweeteners have zero calories, xylitol has 2.4 calories per gram.  That's 40% less calories than other carbohydrates.  Discovered in 1891, the benefits of xylitol remained quiet for decades.  In 1960, it was approved for use with diabetics, and in 1970 for cavity prevention.

This isn't like all the other sugar substitutes. Xylitol is found in tree bark, plants, fruits and vegetables.  Our own body makes 5-10 grams of xylitol every day.  Today, manufacturers produce xylitol from corn cobs and corn stalks (the products themselves don't contain corn). The down side of ingesting too much at once, is gastric upset.  Since it is digested as a fiber, it pulls water from the tissues and can cause diarrhea.  But, if ingested over a period of time, xylitol will not cause this side effect.

With a glycemic level of 7, xylitol does not raise insulin levels, making it safe for diabetics. So how does this sugar work?  Well its a 5-carbon sugar instead of a 6 (like sorbitol, mannitol, and maltitol.)  Because it's a 5-carbon sugar, it passes through the bacterial membrane and can not be metabolized.  While the bacteria uses up its energy trying to pump out the molecule, it uses up all its energy. The bacteria is unable to stick to one another, because it's used up the acid and is unable to make more. The bacterial communication becomes disrupted and the biofilm structure breaks apart.  The bacteria then slide down the digestive and nasal tracks and exits the body!  Cool, right?

The reason I'm so excited about xylitol is the effects with the teeth. It actually helps to fight tooth decay.  A 1989 study by the University of Michigan took 1,277 students and divided them into four groups.  Over a 40-month period, students were given 100% xylitol gum several times a day.  Over the period of 40 months, students were monitored for tooth decay.  The study revealed a dramatic decrease in decay.  Five years later, a follow-up study by the University of Washington showed a 70% reduction in tooth decay, even though the students were no longer using the xylitol. Thus, the conclusion is xylitol changes the oral micro-flora.

For those who do not  have a problem with tooth decay, the oral micro-flora is healthy. But, for those who have the bacteria that is causing cavities, xylitol may be able to eliminate those bad guys! Because bacteria works hard to grow every minute of the day, frequency is the key. Using gum and/or mints, getting five exposures throughout the day works best.  While good is three exposures a day, it's  best to strive for five. The gum is not a recreation gum, meaning, chewing only for five minutes will give the exposure needed. Once the flavor is gone, all the xylitol has been released.

So to break it down:

• after breakfast--chew gum or mint
• mid-morning--have a mint or gum
• after lunch--chew gum or mint
• mid-afternoon--have a mint or gum
• after supper--have a mint or gum

Some gum manufacturers market gum as having xylitol, but it's so far down on the list of ingredients, it has little benefit.  Look for gum or mints that contain 100% xylitol.  I find mine at our local health food store. Spry is the leading manufacturer of xylitol.  I have included the link to their website.  European countries have been recommending xylitol for years to prevent tooth decay, but we are still recommending fluoride.  Fluoride is found in water, toothpastes, and mouth rinses, yet I continue to see tooth decay.  Isn't it time to try something new? It reminds me of what I heard about the definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome."

health-bite:  xylitol for tooth decay