If there\u2019s one long-held truism when it comes to foods that harm your health, it\u2019s that sweetness is usually cause for concern. The bacteria in your mouth eat sugar, then create acids that eat away at your enamel. Even when sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners, you don\u2019t eliminate the risk for decay. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are highly acidic, which accelerates the rate of decay.<\/p>\n
Recently, however, new natural sweeteners have arrived on the market that provide great flavor without posing a risk to your oral health. Chief among them is xylitol. This natural sweetener, derived from the fibrous parts of plants, doesn\u2019t break down like sugar, because bacteria cannot digest it. It also benefits from having a neutral pH (it\u2019s neither acidic nor basic), protecting your teeth from decay and sustaining a healthy environment in your mouth. As an added bonus, xylitol stimulates saliva production. Saliva is your body\u2019s natural defense against decay, and more of it is never a bad thing.<\/p>\n
Where can you find this magic sweetener? Sugar-free gum is often the most common place. If you\u2019re shopping for gum, take a second to check ingredients. Xylitol should be one of the first listed on the package. When you opt for gum with xylitol, you actually benefit from having three to five pieces per day. It\u2019s hard to imagine a hygienist recommending you chew more gum, but that\u2019s the case with xylitolbased gum.<\/p>\n
You can also purchase xylitol in packets to sweeten everything from coffee to cookies. The sweetness is much more concentrated than in traditional sugar, so be careful how much you use. If you\u2019re baking with xylitol, you\u2019ll also need to look up recipes that account for how it differs from sugar. But you can still get delicious results!<\/p>\n
This holiday season, try to include a little xylitol in your favorite treats. It may require a bit of tweaking to your traditional favorites, but your teeth will thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If there\u2019s one long-held truism when it comes to foods that harm your health, it\u2019s that sweetness is usually cause for concern. The bacteria in your mouth eat sugar, then create acids that eat away at your enamel. Even when sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners, you don\u2019t eliminate the risk for decay. Artificial sweeteners […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-karas-corner","category-newsletter","category-hygiene"],"yoast_head":"\n