Xylitol, a plaque-fighting, insulin-stabilizing natural sweetener

I’m a stickler for brushing and flossing – I build plaque faster than most people, so I need to do it more often in order to keep my mouth clean and my breath fresh. Imagine my devestation when I learned after a recent surgery on my gums that I would not be allowed to brush my lower teeth for five weeks. My breath turned awful in no time flat, despite the prescription mouthwash and salt rinses. I started avoiding people. Then last weekend, I had a social engagement I really didn’t want to miss. What to do?

Robyn suggested chewing gum with Xylitol, a natural sugar substitute with proven plaque-fighting abilities. Gum chewing was also on my list of don’ts, but I read up on it and decided to give mints containing Xylitol a try. After all, in addition to fighting plaque, Xylitol helps to stabilize insulin (it’s even recommended for people with insulin issues). And it’s absolutely safe (though you can experience a mild laxative effect when you first start using it, but that goes away over time and won’t hurt you).

I was amazed at the results. One mint made my mouth feel much cleaner. The second mint made even my unbrushed teeth feel cleaner, and balanced the ph in my saliva so that it tasted clean again. I also bought Xylitol in its powdered sugar-substitute form: you use it just like sugar, in the exact same amounts as sugar, in coffee or in any recipe. It tastes exactly like sugar, but has between about 40% fewer calories and doesn’t leave that cloying taste in your mouth. Apparently you can use it to make any dessert you would make with sugar – I haven’t tried that yet.

With just a few Xylitol mints a day, my mouth has stayed nearly as clean-feeling as it is when I can do my normal hygiene – for 5 days now.

Differences between Xylitol and sugar, in summary:

• Xylitol has fewer calories
• It’s not just the calories in sugar that hurt you; it’s also the way sugar affects your insulin, slowing your whole metabolism down. Xylitol doesn’t have that effect. It won’t boost your metabolism, but it actually may help counteract the effects of high-glycemic (metabolism slowing) foods.
• Xylitol has zero effective carbs – very important for diabetics and others who need to watch carbs.
• Xylitol use over time is proven to “dramatically” reduce future cavities, in a study where children chewed Xylitol gum at least 5 minutes per piece, three pieces per day.
• Xylitol is not as cheap as sugar – that’s the only downside I’ve found.

If you can’t find Xylitol products in your area (it’s not as common in the US as other sugar substitutes), you can order it online in the form of mints, gum, sweetener, gummi bears and various other items, many of which are designed to please kids who love sugar. Just do a search for “xylitol mint” or “xylitol recipes” or whatever you’re looking for, and you’ll find several companies offering it.

ETA: Please see westomoon’s comment below for important information about not letting pets ingest Xylitol!

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Posted in Health and Beauty on November 4, 2008