Chewing gum is a great way to help improve your overall oral health, and when you choose a xylitol gum you’re adding an extra benefit.
The Benefits of Xylitol Gum
Xylitol gum helps inhibit cavity-causing bacteria. Xylitol is the perfect sweetener for chewing gum because the bacteria living on our teeth cannot digest it and it interferes with how they hold on to our teeth. This means they starve and die off rather than produce the acid that causes tooth decay., or they just get washed away Xylitol gum can also help remineralize teeth and help relieve dry mouth. Chewing gum on its own helps promote oral health, helps clean teeth, and helps freshen breath.
Finding the Best Xylitol Gum
Xylitol gum should be chosen based on the ingredients. You should choose a chewing gum that is sweetened exclusively with xylitol and has xylitol as one of the first, main ingredients.
Why Xylitol Gum is Beneficial to Your Health
Xylitol has many oral health benefits, and chewing gum is an excellent way to help get your daily needed exposure of xylitol. The recommended dosage is five grams of xylitol spread throughout the day. “Strive for five” is the phrase we like to use to help individuals remember to get their daily dose.
Not only does xylitol gum have many health benefits because of the xylitol, but also the actual act of chewing gum creates an anti-cavity effect on its own.
Why Choose a Xylitol Gum Over Another Sugar-Free Gum
Most gums you’ll find at the grocery store are in fact sugar-free, however, most of these sugar-free gums contain artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners are usually aspartame and acesulfame potassium, which are both considered safe by the FDA, however there are studies who have linked fake sugars to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Xylitol, however, is a natural sweetener that comes from corncobs and birch trees; the body even produces it naturally in small amounts. So not only is xylitol gum a healthy option it’s a natural option.
Xylitol is also a prebiotic. That means it feeds good bacteria in our GI tracts that are anti-inflammatory; they make butyrates, which tend to tame down inflammation. Table sugar works the other way–it feeds the inflammatory bacteria.
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