How does xylitol prevent cavities?
Xylitol is a 5-carbon sugar that is commonly found in birch tree sap and naturally occurring in some fruits and vegetables. Xylitol works to prevent cavities in a number of ways: • Bacteria cannot break down xylitol into acid as they do from all other fermentable sugars (i.e. sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose, etc.). • When bacteria intake xylitol, they don’t intake as much other fermentable sugars, reducing acid production. • Xylitol helps prevent the bacteria from adhering to the enamel, which prevents them from reproducing. • Xylitol, used in conjunction with fluoride, can be more effective at repairing and remineralizing teeth than fluoride alone. Xylitol actually works to control the number of acid-producing bacteria in the mouth, which can in turn prevent cavities, and is available in many forms, from gums and mints to toothpastes and mouth rinses.
