Xylitol Research Paper

1234 Words3 Pages

My family has a history of bad teeth with weak enamel. We could brush, floss, and use mouthwash five times a day and still get cavities. When my son's teeth came in, they had very weak enamel, and he had to have a lot of dental repair done when he was only two. This was when I started searching the internet for something that could help his teeth; and I discovered Xylitol. Xylitol is a white substance that tastes like sugar. It is found in various items in nature including hardwood, raspberries, berries, and lettuce-it is truly a natural sweetener. It is often derived from birch. Testing confirms that Xylitol reduces tooth decay in people who are prone to dental cavities, and even in those who are not. Children who chewed the recommended amount …show more content…

The FDA confirmed the safety of Xylitol in 1986. Xylitol is available in a sugar form to use as a sweetener instead of sugar, but this is somewhat cost-prohibitive for the average person. However, the Xylitol dental products are quite reasonable in cost. Currently, there are a wide range of Xylitol dental products available including mouthwash, chewing gum, mints, candy, toothpaste, and baby products. I have tried the toothpaste, mouthwash, and gum (in the Xlear brand of Xylitol products) and found them to be refreshing and good tasting. My four year old son enjoys Xylitol candy and the fruit-flavored gum. There are also Xylitol products available for babies such as a gel to rub on gums and teeth from Xlear products, and Xylitol wipes to clean the teeth from Spiffies. Most of these products have to be ordered online, although Dentyne and a few other major gum brands now carry gum with Xylitol in it (great to chew between meals for extra teeth cleaning). The Spiffies baby teeth wipes are now available at some major pharmacies such as CVS. Probably, what you are wondering now is if Xylitol actually …show more content…

It seems that she has been working with the American Dental Association in order to help save children's teeth. One thing that she mentioned which was very interesting is that bottled does not contain fluoride. Most parents know how important fluoride is for there children's teeth. That is why so many parents will purchase the nursery or baby water which contains the fluoride in it that kids need. The fact that she is supporting the American Dental Association is great and helping parents to be more aware of how important it is to take the proper care of your children's teeth. Joan Lunden stated on the show that she has seven children so it is pretty obvious why dental care is so important to her. I agree that children need to have proper dental care, starting from a very young age and that it is important for them to have the right amount of fluoride, but I don't think that means that you have to use nursery or baby water for your children. Many children take vitamins with fluoride supplements added from infancy which contain all the fluoride that they need, so the point that they brought out about the fluoride not being in bottled water is really not such a big deal in my opinion. When it comes to children's dental health there are several things that all parents should follow. 1. Teach your children to brush thoroughly at least three times a day. 2. Teach your

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