Found in plants and trees, xylitol is a natural sweetener and sugar alcohol contained in many fruits and vegetables. Moreover, even the human body produces it in small amounts due to metabolism. Not only does it have 40 percent fewer calories than sugar, – but there are a lot of benefits of using xylitol for teeth.
Benefits Of Xylitol For Teeth
Xylitol is highly beneficial for your teeth– especially in protecting them against decay and bacteria that lead to it. We will list some of these benefits for you below:
1. Balanced pH Levels:
The sugars and acids from your food and drinks join hands with the bacteria in your mouth, which alters the pH levels. Xylitol prevents acid-forming bacteria from growing. Thus, it neutralizes the pH levels of the acid– resulting in healthier teeth. This can be beneficial for:
- Mouth Breathers
- People with dry mouths.
- People with altered pH levels due to aging.
It may also be noted that low pH levels also soften your tooth enamel (which is a factor in tooth decay) and cause white spot lesions.
2. Improved Salivary Flow:
Using dental products with xylitol for your teeth can also improve the rate of your salivary flow.
Saliva neutralizes the acids that weaken your enamel as it keeps your teeth clear of any food debris. Not only this, but saliva also engages in a process called demineralization. Basically, it repairs the protective surface of a tooth when acid damages enamel.
So you see why salivary flow is vital to prevent tooth decay and maintain your oral health? It contains elements like calcium and phosphate, which make your teeth strong.
Xylitol helps by increasing salivatory flow, preventing bad breath and dry mouths. The best option is to add chewing gums with xylitol to your diet!
3. Kills Harmful Bacteria– Core Benefit of Xylitol for Teeth:
Xylitol kills 90% of the harmful bacteria in your mouth. This bacteria thrives on sugar as it produces acid that is harmful to your tooth and erodes enamel. But not with xylitol! The bacteria will not be able to cause any damage by consuming it, and therefore, it will die, which is good for your teeth! This is the core benefit of xylitol, as bacteria causes a lot of oral health issues.
4. Prevents Teeth From Sticky Biofilm:
Bacteria produce polysaccharide slime that holds the biofilm (plaque) on your teeth together. But with xylitol, the benefits for your teeth are not few. It causes the biofilm to slide off your teeth– stopping it from sticking. This is because xylitol does not have what harmful bacteria feed on to grow stronger.
5. Prevents Gum Diseases
Oral bacteria is the root of all dental problems– usually. It also leads to gum diseases. But the anti-bacterial xylitol helps prevent inflammatory gum diseases as it reduces plaque build-up and bacteria growth.
Lastly..
We can say the benefits of xylitol for teeth are endless. It is recommended to use 5 grams of xylitol a day, in other words, 3-5 times. And be mindful to eat products with only Xylitol as a sweetener!
Adding xylitol to your daily routine can be beneficial– whether as toothpaste, gums, mouthwash, mints, candies, breath sprays, or more.
Do you want more information regarding xylitol? Let the best dentists at Village Park Family Dental help you, contact us at 281-376-4444 or info@vpfamilydental.com.