Xylitol and dental caries

[Smilemaker100]

I have noticed that some of the replies to the thread I posted dealing with the topic of soft drinks & caries have addressed the subject of artificial sweetners . I couldn't help but remember a nutrition course and biochemistry course I took as a student which addressed this very issue.

I don't know if a lot of dental students out there have had courses in nutrition but I had one theoretical course as well as a clinical course where I had to do some nutritional counselling for a certain number of patients. There
are actual numerical scores that are associated with different types of foods that can give you a cariogenic index. There is a book which I don't know if many are familiar with which deals with nutrition and its implications in dentistry entitled , "Nutrition in Clinical Dentistry" by Nizel & Pappas

In any case, I think it is important to point out that of all the artificial sweetners, XYLITOL is of most relevance for dentists and sorbitol to a certain degree. Studies have shown a lot of benefits for those that ingest xylitol. Among its many benefits...it inhibits the enzyme that Streptoccocus mutans uses to metabolize sugars into dextrans .It is available in the form of "Dentec" which is found in Trident chewing gum. Its benefits have already been demonstrated. One of my teachers, Dr Daniel Kandelman, was involved with studies which explored the benefits of DENTEC.

http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/8/1407
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=2229617

I STRONGLY suggest reading a good review in the Nature magazine which deals with the subject - here is the PDF link ( full article available online)

www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v194/n8/pdf/4810022a.pdf

And another useful website : www.xylitol.com

This gum ( TRIDENT WITH DENTEC )is already available in grocery stores everywhere in Canada since around 10 years and can be found in health food stores in Europe but is still not in the market in the US yet Why doesn't the US have it yet? Probably due to the FDA taking its time to decide if it will market it as artificial sweetners are sort of classifed as drugs according to the FDA.

Kids now have a valid excuse to chew gum during classtime!

" Little Johny, you know you are not supposed to chew gum in class!", exclaims Johny's teacher.

"Yes, I know teacher, but I have research that backs my actions! There have been numerous studies over the past 30 years which have demonstrated the anticariogenic effects of chewing gum with dentec (xylitol) in the recommended doses of 2 sticks, 5 times a day for 5 minutes at a time !!!" , says Johny with a "know it all" smirk on his face

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[grtuck]

I think that some other brands do have Xylitol though. It is kind of weird how the US tends to follow behind in stuff like that sometimes.

grtuck

 

[toothcaries]

Xylitol = good practice builder

 

[Sk8aBull]

Orbit has Xylitol- it's my chewing gum of choice

 

[UBTom]

Trident here! Every time I go food-shopping at the supermarket, I pick up a 25-pack of Trident for a mere $1 at the checkout counter. Lasts me a whole week.

And yes, it has xylitol!

 

[DrJeff]

The other great thing that trident has done recently to many of their flavors is add "recalcdent" (look for a small oval shaped red, white and blue label on the pakage). Basically recalcdent is added calcium ions that will help increase the calcium concentration of your saliva while chewing to aid in remineralization

So tell those kids to chew trident at aschool after lunch!

 

[booshwa]

I'm in the US and my trident gum lists xylitol as an ingredient (although not the first sweetener)...

Also, I have bought gum that contains xylitol, so I don't see how it couldn't be approved in the U.S. It is called xylichew , and is distrbuted in Los Angeles.

 

[drPheta]

Wonder if that's the same Dr. Pappas that teaches at Tufts. Yeah, xylitol has been discussed here before. I'm also confused as to why it isn't pressed publicly as non-cariogenic.

Either way, I tell my family and buddies to chew Trident and Orbitz all the time, instead of other gums. Orbitz is almost like the gum from hell. It keeps its flavor for so long!

 

[DcS]

I believe Carefree Koolerz has a very high amount of xylitol. I could be mistaken but I think that is something one of our professors told us in lecture.