How do low-calorie sweeteners help to prevent dental caries (tooth decay)?
Dental caries is the eating away/demineralization of tooth enamel by acid inside the mouth. Acid is produced by oral bacteria that ferment carbohydrate foods. If people practice good dental health, saliva will neutralize the acid and repair the tooth’s enamel. Tooth decay only occurs if the repair process doesn’t keep up with the demineralization process. Scientific studies suggest that fluoride is the most important aid to prevent dental caries. It increases the resistance of tooth enamel to decay and helps speed up repair. The addition of fluoride to community water supplies and fluoride-containing mouthwashes has greatly reduced the incidence of tooth decay in industrialized countries.
• Dental caries is the eating away (demineralisation) of tooth enamel by acid in the mouth. Acid is produced by oral bacteria that ferment carbohydrate foods (sugars and starches). If people practice good dental health (maintaining oral hygiene, eating a healthy diet), saliva neutralises the acid and repairs the tooth’s enamel. Tooth decay only occurs if the repair process doesn’t keep up with the demineralisation process. Scientific studies suggest that fluoride is the most important aid to prevent dental caries. It increases the resistance of tooth enamel to decay and helps speed up repair. The addition of fluoride to community water supplies and fluoride-containing mouthwashes has greatly reduced the incidence of tooth decay in industrialised countries. Low-calorie sweeteners help prevent dental caries because they are not fermentable by oral bacteria. So, they produce no acid and cannot promote dental decay.
