What does Xylitol do?
When sugars and carbohydrates are broken down by plaque bacteria in your mouth, they produce plaque acids. These acids can eat away at the enamel on your teeth. This can promote tooth decay and eventually cause cavities. Unlike sugar, Xylitol is not broken down by plaque bacteria. Because it does not break down, Xylitol can help keep a neutral pH balance in your mouth, which helps protect your teeth from tooth decay. In several studies, scientists have found that people who regularly chew gum that contains Xylitol have a lower occurrence of tooth decay than people who do not chew gum that contains Xylitol (2, 3, and 4). Chewing gum that contains Xylitol has been shown, when chewed 5 times per day, to reduce plaque, and make it easier to remove plaque when brushing5.
