Xylitol Products in Raleigh, NC
VP Dental offers xylitol products in Raleigh, NC. Although these products are sugar-based, you may be surprised by what benefits they can give to your oral health. Read on to learn more about this natural sweetener and how it can help you maintain a healthy smile.
What is Xylitol?
A naturally occurring sugar, xylitol is present in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains, including oats, corn, mushrooms, and raspberries. It is usually derived from the fibers of maize cobs and husks or birch trees.
After being extracted from plants, xylitol has some tasty uses as an artificial sweetener. It doesn’t contain any protein, minerals, or vitamins, which means xylitol only provides empty calories. This makes the substance a good sugar substitute for low-carb products.
Xylitol has roughly one-third as many calories as ordinary table sugar. It is considered a weight-loss-friendly sweetener. This natural sweetener can also be a healthy sugar alternative for patients with obesity, diabetes, pre-diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
Benefits of Xylitol to Oral Health
Xylitol will not raise your blood sugar levels. More significantly, unlike sugar, it doesn’t lead to tooth decay. Actually, it may help keep cavities at bay.
It has been demonstrated that adding xylitol to toothpaste, chewing gum, and other dental care products can successfully prevent cavities. Because xylitol has empty calories, bacteria can’t feed on it to thrive. Instead, xylitol products can help kill the bacteria inside your mouth and prevent tooth decay and cavities.
However, there is a catch: 20 grams of xylitol per day is required to start working, which is a significant amount—roughly 20 sticks of gum. The tiny amount that occurs naturally in meals is probably insufficient to affect teeth.
Are Xylitol Products Safe?
Up to 50 grams of xylitol per day is safe, according to doctors. However, xylitol might result in intestinal gas and diarrhea if taken in excess. Pregnant or nursing women should not use xylitol since long-term negative effects have not been well investigated.
However, xylitol is not safe for dogs at any level; even small doses have been shown to be fatal when consumed by our canine companions. Contact your veterinarian right away if your dog eats a morsel containing xylitol.
Natural Sweetener for Oral Health
Foods containing xylitol are a wonderful way to reduce the sugar in your diet and may even help prevent cavities when taken in safe amounts. VP Dental offers xylitol products in Raleigh, NC, and guidance on the right xylitol amount that benefits your health. However, it is no substitute for your regular oral hygiene regimen, so continue to practice frequent brushing and flossing.
Do you wish you had a bright, healthy smile? Visit VP Dental in Raleigh, North Carolina, to make that dream a reality. Call us at (919) 518-0540 today to learn more about how our experienced dental team and high-quality dental services can improve your smile and oral health!