It can reduce cavities, ear infections and sinus infections, and it tastes good, well, at least my dental hygienist’s kids think so.

The other day I was at the dentist’s office, having my teeth cleaned. I’ll spare you the details, but I’m sure most of you know the routine, you’re flat on your back in "the ‘chair’",  mouth agape,  drooling, mumbling, wishing you were on a beach in Hawaii, or at the very least collecting your winning check from the lottery corporation, en route to the airport. In any event, my daydreaming was interrupted by Carol, my hygienist who asked, "have you ever heard of Xylitol?"

"zzhhzyyylawhhhaddd?" I drooled.

"Xylitol. It’s an all natural sweetener, produced by the human body. Yeah, you can buy it in crystalline form - I sprinkle it on my kids’ cereal in the morning. And it has antibacterial properties."

Ok, now I knew what was coming - gum disease - I knew it!  But I brush! I floss! (sometimes). I do all stuff you’re supposed to do. Is this xylitol thing something I missed? How long has it been around? Could it help? These were all the questions I wanted to ask but couldn’t for obvious reasons…..you can imagine.

Well, it turns out xylitol may help. It reduces cavities, and has been found in clinical studies to reduce ear and sinus infections in children, my hygienist told me. I think Carol must have guessed my questions, after all, years of cleaning people’s teeth would, I think, render you somewhat telepathic, or at least a very good guesser. And so, for the next 20 minutes I listed intently (what else was I going to do?) while she told me everything she knows about xylitol.  

When I eventually got home, I did a little research of my own. And it turns out that xylitol is quite the natural product. For a start, it is, as Carol said, a naturally occurring substance, which is even produced by the human body. In fact, many of us could be consuming 2 to 4 grams a day in the fruits and vegetables we eat. Essentially,  xylitol is a sweet, crystalline carbohydrate, classified as a sugar alcohol. It was originally ‘discovered’ in the late 1800s by chemists in France and Germany. It is found, naturally, in wood, woody plant parts, and in most fruit products. And we produce it, but our bodies use it slowly and incompletely, which accounts for the fact that has a low caloric value. Which, in turn, means it has a low glycemic index - just 7. To put that in perspective that’s 12% of the glycemic index of table sugar and, by contrast ,glucose has a glycemic index of 83.

A product with a low glycemic index means that it will produce a much smaller increase in serum insulin and blood glucose levels with no hypoglycemic "rebound."  This makes it suitable for diabetics. It is also used as a source of energy in infusion therapy and for intravenous feeding of patients who are glucose intolerant. And there is some anecdotal evidence that it may benefit patients with cystic fibrosis, by reducing salinity in the surface fluids found in the airway.

Xylitol, it turns out, also has antibacterial properties, making it a good candidate for use in dietary products - such as sweeteners - as well as medicines, and dental products such as chewing gum. For example, investigators at the University of Oulu in Finland studied xylitol in 1996 and found "that 8.4 grams of xylitol taken orally on a daily basis reduced ear infections by 42% [ in childrend]," (BMJ:1996. Pediatrics. 1998). The randomized, double-blind study, (a high standard for clinical trials), published in the British Medical Journal in 1996, also showed a 73% reduction in cavities in the children, whose average age was 5 years.

There is also a growing body of scientific data showing that xylitol can inhibit mutans streptococci (S. mutans)  - a bacteria present in our mouths typically from the time we are born.  It contributes to tooth decay and gum disease. Essentially, S. mutans thrives in acidic environments, in fact it creates the acid that causes tooth decay, and another disease called caries - which also causes tooth decay and cavities. In 2001, the National Institutes of Health in the United States issued a press release on managing tooth decay and they wrote, "there is evidence to support the use of fluoride varnishes in permanent teeth, as well as fluoride gels, chlorhexidine gels, sealants, and chewing gum containing xylitol, a sugar substitute. "

So, all this said, xylitol has some impressive qualities. There’s a wealth of information on the internet on it, too much to cover here, so I’ve included some of the best websites in the Column Notes section at the bottom. The downside, if you can call it that, is that this product can have a laxative-like effect, which is temporary. According to one company that manufactures a number of products with xylitol, the "laxation threshold is reached in children at approximately 45 grams, and for adults at approximately 150-200 grams daily. It is suggested that xylitol be used in gradually increasing portions over a period of 2 to 4 weeks before it is entirely substituted for common sugar."  And, one final note,  the Federal Food and Drug Administration in the US and the World Health Organization have given it top ranking as a food additive, safe for use for everyone from infants to the elderly.  

At  the end of the day I couldn’t find any bad news on this stuff . BUT - before you add anything to your diet  - you should absolutely check with your doctor or dentist, especially if you’re taking prescription medications. 

All in all, I’m very grateful to Carol. Even if I didn’t win the lottery, or am not lolling around on a beach in Hawaii, I did come away with some good information  that may have longer-term health benefits than either of my fantasy solutions - althugh that remains unproven…..for the time being….. 

For more information on xylitol, check out the Column Notes below.