Xylitol: Naturally Delicious

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in many fruits and vegetables. It is as sweet as table sugar, yet xylitol contains fewer calories and carbohydrates, and has a much lower glycemic index. Unlike some artificial sugar substitutes, xylitol has been used safely by children and adults worldwide for several decades.

Discovering Xylitol

Over a century ago, two Nobel Prize winning European chemists, working independent of one another, discovered xylitol nearly simultaneously. It became a popular sugar substitute during the shortages of WWII.

A Healthy Revolution

In the 1970s, researchers at Turku University, Helsinki, conducted a series of scientific studies showing xylitol inhibits caries causing bacteria's ability to adhere to teeth and tissues of the mouth, nose and throat. Years of further clinical research confirms that using xylitol regularly helps reduce dental plaque and promotes better oral health. Xylitol has a cariostatic effect, is non-fermentable, and cannot be metabolized to harmful plaque acids. Other studies have indicated that xylitol usage reduces incidents of chronic ear infections, and health care products containing xylitol can protect nasal passages and sinuses by washing away bacteria, pollutants, pollens and other irritants.

With numerous subsequent clinical studies demonstrating the vast health benefits of daily xylitol use, dental associations in the United States, Finland, Norway, Sweden, England, Ireland have endorsed xylitol as effective in combating caries disease and promoting better oral health. In addition to the ADA, xylitol is approved by the World Health Organization and has the FDA's safest rating. It is used, prescribed, and recommended by health professionals throughout the world. Many consumers have not yet learned of xylitol's benefits, partly due to its limited availability in the past. Today, many affordable and delicious xylitol-based products are available to your patients.