Daily doses of xylitol have again been shown to keep people from developing cavities. Yup, this one’s for real folks! Dental researchers at the University of Washington have found that toddlers who are given two or three daily spoonfuls of the sugar substitute xylitol in a fruit-flavored syrup have significantly lower rates of tooth decay than other children.
Researchers presented their results yesterday at the 86th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research in Toronto.
The study involved 102 children with an average age of 15 months who lived in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Childhood tooth decay is a serious health concern in that central Pacific region. Study authors say the average 5-year-old living there has two to three times as many cavities as a young child living in a typical mainland community.
The children randomly received different doses of the sweetened syrup once, twice, or three times a day for 12 months. At the end of the trial, nearly 76% of the toddlers who received twice-daily doses of xylitol syrup (8 grams in total) were cavity-free, compared to 48% of those who received a single spoonful a day.
More than half (59.4%) of the children who received xylitol three times a day were cavity-free after a year.
Fruit Flavored Zellies
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that’s found in plants and fruits. It is a sugar alcohol that blocks the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities.
We have been using Zellies xylitol products in our family for years with great results. Recently, we began carrying the Zellies line of 100% xylitol gum and candies in our office. If you’re local to Rochester, stop in to our office to pick up Zellies — our prices are good compared to the website! If you’re not local and you order some Zellies here.
Add this one to the growing list of studies showing the benefits of xylitol…a sugar that truly makes teeth healthy and happy.
