If you chew sugar-free gum, you may have seen on the package that it contains xylitol, and that xylitol is good for your teeth. But is this actually the case? A compilation of a studies from around the world has recently been released, and the results don’t make a compelling case for xylitol having any dental health benefits. Learn more about xylitol and these new studies in this week’s blog.
What is Xylitol?
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener used in a number of products. Most people know of xylitol for its use in sugar-free gum, but it’s also used in a number of sugar substitutes, as well as toothpastes and throat lozenges.
Some research in the past has indicated that xylitol slows the growth of bacteria on your teeth, making it not only a good alternative to sugar, but a beneficial substance for your teeth as well.
New Research
However, new research is suggesting that xylitol might not have as many dental health benefits as was once thought. 10 different studies on the effects of xylitol on dental health, comprising of a total of 5,903 participants, were recently compiled and published in the Cochrane Library. The methods used in the studies varied, but each produced significant data on the health effects of xylitol.
Two studies did seem to suggest that xylitol can help protect teeth. “Of 4,216 young children in two studies conducted in Costa Rica…kids who used a toothpaste with xyiltol and fluoride had 13 percent less tooth decay on the whole than those who used only a fluoride-based toothpaste.”
The eight other studies did not show any evidence that xylitol has a beneficial effect on the health of your teeth. From Yahoo:
“The evidence we identified did not allow us to make any robust conclusions about the effects of xylitol, and we were unable to prove any benefit in the natural sweetener for preventing tooth decay,” study researcher Philip Riley of the University of Manchester School of Dentistry, said in a statement. “The limited research on xylitol-containing toothpaste in children may only be relevant to the population studied.”
Riley also specifically noted the lack of evidence on xylitol found in sugar-free gum as being beneficial for oral health.
So, while sugar-free gum is definitely a better alternative to sugar gum, evidence suggests it might not have the dental health benefits it’s marketed as having.
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