Giving the chewer a sweet experience without worrying about cavities. Hopefully it does this without precipitating a quick trip to the bathroom. Sugar, as we well know, is persona- non-grata as far as our teeth are concerned. Bacteria in our mouth find sugar to be a yummy snack and they happily ingest it. But like us, bacteria also poop. And when they consume sugar, they poop out acids that can corrode the tooth`s enamel and cause cavities to form. But Chewing Gum that isn`t sweet isn`t much fun. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame can be used to impart flavour, but Xylitol is better. The bacteria responsible for cavities cannot metabolize xylitol and therefore cannot multiply at the same rate as when fed sugar. As a result, less enamel damaging acids are produced.
Mind you, it does take a fair bit of xylitol, roughly 5-6 grams a day, to cut down on the population of streptococcus mutans, the prime bacterium responsible for cavities. That translates to chewing roughly 3- 5 pieces of xylitol-sweetened gum a day. In high doses, more than about 15 grams a day, xylitol can cause stomach problems, and at even higher doses, it can give you the runs. Obviously, the dose matters both in terms of benefit and risk. Since streptococci bacteria can be transferred to a baby through a mother`s kiss, xylitol sweetened gum is especially appropriate for new moms. Studies show that transmission of bacteria during the first two years of life can be reduced by as much as 80%! Xylitol`s safety has been thoroughly tested, including in pregnant and nursing women and aside from a laxative effect at doses way above what people actually consume, no effect has been noted. Xylitol has approximately the same sweetness as sugar, but only contributes about 2.4 calories per gram as opposed to sugar`s 4 calories per gram. Furthermore, xylitol does not need insulin to be metabolized, so it can be safely consumed by diabetics.
