Fighting cavities is as easy as chewing gum.
Chewing sugarless gum will increase the production of saliva by 10 times your normal rate. This can be especially helpful after sugary meals to reverse drops in your oral pH and to keep bacteria in check. However, if you really want to hit plaque where it hurts, you want to chew Xylitol gum.
What is Xylitol?
Xylitol, which is also called birch sugar since it can be made from birch wood chips, is a normal intermediate in human metabolism. Unfortunately for acid producing bacteria, it is not part of their normal metabolism and it slows down their growth; it also gets in the way of bad bacteria sticking to your teeth in the first place.
Xylitol for New Moms
One of the really cool benefits of chewing xylitol gum is that it reduces the risk of transmission of cavity making bacteria from Moms to their children (yes smarts and good looks aren’t the only things kids get from their moms, but we’ll talk more about this in future posts). Children of mothers who chewed Xylitol gum as directed starting 3-6 months after child birth and continued until their children had all their baby teeth at the age of 2 had a dramatically lower risk for cavities.
Directions for Use
- Chew between 6-10g of xylitol per day in order to be effective against bacteria. This usually means you will need more than one piece and is easiest if you do it right after meals.
- Chew the gum for a minimum of 5 minutes. If you chew at least 2 grams worth of xylitol after all three meals you’ll easily hit your goal.
- Keep your gum away from your dog. Xylitol is toxic to dogs.
- Too much xylitol can cause mild diarrhea, so stick to the formula and don’t go way overboard.
- If you have TMJ problems try using Xylitol mints instead
Choosing a Xylitol Gum
Your best option is to choose a gum containing only xylitol sugars. Although gums containing sorbitol are still considered “sugarfree,” bacteria can use sorbitol to make acids, just in very small amounts. Also consumption of excess sugar alcohols (over 14 grams) can cause indigestion. If you are chewing a sugarfree gum that contains xylitol with other sugar alcohols like sorbitol and mannitol, you may end up consuming an excessive total amount of sugar alcohols in your attempt to reach your target dosage of xylitol and earn yourself an upset stomach. Whichever gum you choose, remember to chew 6-10 grams of xylitol per day and as a rule keep the total sugar alcohols consumed under 14 grams to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort. To help you stay on track, here is a list of brands of xylitol gums and their ingredients:
Spry Gum
Xylitol Content: .72 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, natural flavor (peppermint oil), vegetable glycerin, gum arabic, soy lecithin, beeswax
Epic Gum
Xylitol Content: 1.06 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, natural flavors, lecithin, gum arabic, titanium dioxide, carnauba wax
Miradent Gum
Xylitol Content: .72 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, natural & artificial flavors, Glycerin, gum arabic, Soy Lecithin, and Beeswax
XyliChew Gum
Xylitol Content: .5 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, natural flavors, arabic gum, lecithin, glycerine, beeswax, carnauba wax
Peelu Xylitol Gum
Xylitol Content: Unknown (likely .7 grams per piece)
Ingredients: Gum base (contains soy), xylitol, calcium stearate, natural peppermint flavor, gum arabic, peelu extract, rebiana (stevia extract), carnauba wax
Xyloburst
Xylitol Content: 1 gram per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, gum arabic, soy lecithin and beeswax
Trident & Trident Fusion with Xylitol
Xylitol Content: .17 grams per piece
Ingredients: Sorbitol, Maltitol, Gum Base, Mannitol, Xylitol, Natural and Artificial Flavoring, Less than 2% of: Acacia, Acesulfame Potassium, BHT (to Maintain Freshness)Blue 1 Lake, Candelilla Wax, Glycerin, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose, Titanium Dioxide, Yellow 5 Lake
Trident Xtra Care
Xylitol Content: .14 grams per piece; also contains 9.4 mg Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate
Ingredients: Sorbitol, Gum Base, Xylitol, Glycerin, Natural And Artificial Flavoring, Mannitol; Less Than 2% Of: Acesulfame Potassium, Aspartame, BHT (To Maintain Freshness), Blue 1 Lake, Calcium Casein Peptone-Calcium Phosphate (Lactose-Free Milk Derivative), Soy Lecithin, Titanium Dioxide (Color) And Yellow 5 Lake. Contains A Milk Derived Ingredient
Xylimax
Xylitol Content: .7 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol (66% of weight), Gum Base, Calcium, Carbonate, Natural Flavors (Spearmint, Menthol), Gum Arabic, Glyserol, Lecithin (Rapeseed), Beeswax, Shellac
Xponent
Xylitol Content: .72 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, gum arabic, natural flavors, lecithin, glycerol, malic acid, glazing agent (beeswax)
Ice Breakers Ice Cubes Sugarfree
Xylitol Content: 1.1 grams per cube
Ingredients: Xylitol, Gum Base, Mannitol, Maltitol Syrup, Contains 2% or Less of: Natural and Artificial Flavor, Maltodextrin, Malic Acid, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Citric Acid, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Color (Red 40 Lake, Red 40, Blue 1), Aspartame, Modified Food Starch, Acesulfame Potassium, Gum Acacia, BHT (to Maintain Freshness), Neotame
Ricochet Gum
Xylitol Content: .72 grams per piece
Ingredients: Xylitol, gumbase, natural spearmint oil, gum arabic, lecithin, citric acid, powder of conch, spinach powder
B-Fresh Gum
Xylitol Content: .85 grams per piece
Ingredients: xylitol, gum base, natural spearmint flavor, vitamin B12, gum arabic, carnuba wax, calcium citrate, calcium gluconate
Zellies Xylitol Gum
Xylitol Content: 1 gram per piece
Ingredients: xylitol, Gum Base, Natural Flavors, Lecithin, Gum Arabic, Titanium Dioxide, Carnauba Wax
-
"We recently moved to the Chesapeake area and needed an orthodontist that could continue treatment for our two kiddos. Hatcher & Frey Orthodontics made our transition seamless and even provided an Invisalign option. The staff is amazing and the facilities are top notch!"
-
"This is an OUTSTANDING team of dental professionals. We are greeted with smiles every time and wait less than 5 minutes to be called back for our appointment. This is EXCEPTIONAL when compared to the usual, long waiting room wait in MANY practices. The changing seasonal themes is always surprising and enjoyable. THIS IS NOT THE USUAL MEDICAL FACILITY OFTEN VISITED. Doctors Frey and Hatcher are personable, very friendly and HAPPY to work with their patients. Theirs is the most pleasant office to visit and this team is competent and approachable all the time. I'd GIVE THEM A 10 if I could!"
-
"We absolutely LOVE Hatcher & Frey Orthodontics. I have 3 daughters who went through braces for about ten years (2002-2012). Now, I am wearing Invisalign. They have been consistently professional and offer the very best care. I highly recommend them."
-
"We love Dr. Hatcher and Dr. Frey! They are super thorough when you go in for an evaluation, and give you pricing up front. I visited a different local orthodontist, who wouldn’t give a price until after we started... they are detailed in the plan and the outcome is terrific! It is a wonderful practice with an amazing team! I highly recommend them!!"
-
"I can't tell you how astonished I was with the customer service, everyone here is affectionate, and kind. I feel respected and important here. I am a current patient with crowding problems; Invisalign was what I went with because It doesn't seem too much of a chore to keep up with rather than braces. Thanks Dr. Hatcher for your stunning care; I know I'm in good hands and can't wait to see a different smile in the near future. I hope if you've read this far you choose to come here even if you live far away; it's definitely worth the drive. I would recommend this to anyone who is in need of an orthodontist."
-
"Got my braces off today after 29 months of wearing them. When I came to Dr. Hatcher back in June 2017, my teeth looked like they were beat by Negan's bat, Lucille, from TWD. Today, I am a brand new person that has been cured of my zombie teeth apocalypse! Thank you Dr Hatcher, Shawna, and the rest of the staff! Your hard work has paid off and will not be forgotten. I will think of you every time I smile."
-
"Five stars I scheduled a consult after seeing photos of Dr Frey’s cases with early development utilizing Invisalign. I also felt orthodontics should start early not late and I wanted the best for my 5yr old twins. I was blown away with Dr Frey’s clinical skills, understanding of sleep apnea in children, his updated technology and ability to do digital scans instead of impressions totally shows his education and expertise, but my biggest compliment was how well they treated my family. It’s care that is surpasses any practice I’ve seen. Thank you for educating us and giving us a sound treatment plan."
-
"Dr. Hatcher is wonderful and the staff is exceptional! We have had a very positive experience here with both of our daughters. They go above and beyond and I recommend them to anyone who is looking for an orthodontist. They make you feel like family and the kids love going to their appointments. State of the art technology is used to transform smiles from good to great!"
-
"Dr. Scott Frey is an amazing Orthodontist and very caring. The most important thing which many people don't understand is it's not just straightening your teeth but knowing your bite is right for the lifetime of functioning. It's well worth the investment and time to do it right, so it won't cost you even more down the road. I give him 5 stars!"
-
"What a great experience! We were referred to Hatcher & Frey Orthodontics by our pediatric dentist’s office and they are very helpful and professional. Couldn't have had a better team to help my now 13-year-old achieve her perfect smile."
