Xylitol again exhibits tooth health benefits

Children consuming eight grams per day of xylitol had 1.3 few decayed teeth, compared to children consuming only 2.7 grams per day of the sweetener, report researchers in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

“This study is the first (to our knowledge) to demonstrate that xylitol topical oral syrup (8 g/d) divided into 2 or 3 doses given during primary tooth eruption in children aged 15 to 25 months reduces tooth decay,” wrote the researchers, led by Peter Milgrom.

“Furthermore, up to 70 per cent of decayed teeth could be prevented by xylitol in this setting.”

The new study was sponsored by Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau and by a grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Bonnie - while it is encouraging to see more data on the benefits on xylitol, this is a large daily amount. One common side effect of xylitol is loose stool, especially if the xylitol is ingested instead of in chewing gum. For those with a corn intolerance, xylitol is a poor choice because its source is corn (except in rare cases, like the Xylichew gum we recommend).