during a dentist visit, I was chatting with an assistant about chewing gum. she explained how gums like trident and spry not only loosen food stuck to your teeth and cause you to salivate more (saliva = good, it neutralizes acids), but since they contain xylitol, they can prevent cavities if you chew them after every meal.

The icing on this cavity-reducing cake? Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, so it tastes sweet and makes your mouth feel cool and fresh. So finally, a dentist-approved reason for chewing gum all the time. So I checked the candy isle to see if I could find some trident with this magical sugar in it, and there it was, in plain sight:

Xylitol’s awesomeness does not stop there. I’m presenting the reasons I think xylitol is so awesome. xylitol is pronounced like Xylophone. you’ll need to know this when you tell your friends and family how awesome it is.

xylitol is a warrior against bacteria.

so you have probably have bacteria feasting on your teeth right now. bacteria loves sugar, and xylitol is no exception. except when they feast on xylitol they get an unpleasant surprise because xylitol does not contain the nutrition that a growing bacteria needs to become big and strong. in fact it starves the bacteria.

xylitol, the silent killer. of bacteria that is.
Bacteria loves xylitol

you can shoot xylitol up your nose to prevent bacteria infections

perhaps this applies to other body parts too, but so far, I am only aware of nasal wash being readily available. google it. can’t say that about other sugars.

xylitol won’t cause brain damage or cancer

studies have been done to prove xylitol is harmless to humans, and for what its worth, the FDA has approved xylitol as a sweetener, even giving it the safest rating that a food additive can get.

the only known side-effect of xylitol is it acting as a laxative in large quantities.

warning: don’t feed to dogs. it can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and even liver failure. its bad news for dogs. even one pack of trident.

and this is not to say other sugar substitutes cause brain damage and cancer, but if you are interested, you can read more about aspartame (a.k.a. Nutrasweet or Equal) and saccharine (a.k.a. Sweet ‘N’ Low) on wikipedia:

Aspartame Controversy
Saccharin and Cancer

to prevent brain damage and cancer, i never had aspartame or saccharine as a kid. love ya mom!

xylitol can be used to combat constipation

if you can get your hands on enough of it, xylitol can act as a laxative. around 30-40 grams a day should do the trick.

xylitol has fewer calories than sugar

….about 40% fewer calories than sugar. that means you could eat 1 cup of sugar at about 770 calories OR 1 cup of xylitol at about 462 calories. after a year, that is 281,050 calories of sugar (80 pounds) versus 168,630 calories (48 pounds) of xylitol. by substituting xylitol for sugar, you could lose 32 pounds!

fight bacteria and weight gain at the same time. and constipation, if you are really eating 1 cup a day.

xylitol in your clothes makes you cool

yes, you can currently buy clothes that have xylitol in them. from a clothing website:

Xylitol, which is manufactured from natural white birch or corn, absorbs the heat of perspiration…Regardless of the ambient temperature, Xilitol-impregnated Very Cool clothing lowers body heat by 3 degrees for cooler play.

can other non-magical sugars do that?

xylitol on wikipedia
xylitol.org

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wow! that is amazing! sounds like xylitol is the best thing since sliced bread.

November 3, 2007 10:21 am

Hi! I have orderd from this place twice and am very pleased to share. They have great kosher organic and natural food products including xylitol.
Here is a link http://www.wholeandnatural.com
Enjoy!!!
p.s. I used a code try if it works for you bldc08

February 13, 2008 8:55 pm

Trident Tropical Twist smells like cat urine. Please don’t chew it near me. I’m partial to Peppermint πŸ™‚

March 20, 2008 1:17 pm

What percentage of dog genes are shared with humans?

Read the details:

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/mole00/mole00286.htm

So, per your website:

warning: don’t feed to dogs. it can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and even liver failure. its bad news for dogs. even one pack of trident.

If we share 90% of dogs genes it can have similar effects to us πŸ™

“By tracking evolution’s genetic footprints through the dog, human and mouse genomes, the scientists found that humans share more of their ancestral DNA with dogs than with mice, confirming the utility of dog genetics for understanding human disease.”

Source: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/dog-genome.html

August 27, 2008 10:03 am

Priyank:

Nonsense! Chocolate is also very toxic to dogs.

Just remember that we are not dogs or rats, which is why human clinical trials always follow before final approval is given.

May 16, 2009 12:31 pm

Hi – As a dental hygienist I have done quite a bit of research on xylitol. It is a great product! Xylitol does work best if it isn’t with any man-made sugars (ie sacchrin, aspartame, etc…), and if taken in small amounts thoughout the day. http://www.xlear.com is a great source of info. There is a special pacifer with xylitol gel for babies, too. Xylitol reduces the chance of ear infections in toddlers (great to keep the little ones from needing antibiotics!)
And:
Tooth decay – reduces development of dental caries
Inner Ear and Lung infections (http://www.drgreene.com/21_837.html)
Osteoporosis – increases bone volume and bone mineral
Bone Health – increases trabecular and cortical (jaw) bone density and content
Collagen production
Cystic fibrosis – deliver to the airway with nasal spray to decrease incidences
Pneumonia – nasal spray decreases incidences
Candida Albicans (yeast) – denture wears are more susceptible to this yeast infection
Improves skin – skin care products with xylitol – increases collagen production
Diabetes – doesn’t increase insulin production. Safe for diabetics with a glycemic index of 7
Expectant mothers and babies – 70% tooth decay reduction for child up to age 5.
I don’t work for, or get a kick back, from any of the websites listed. I just want to help spread the news about a really good product.

August 8, 2009 6:50 am

My husband just bought some great sunshirts that are made with Xylitol. He has broken out from his wast up to his neck. I think it is the shirt or what is in the shirt. he does not want it to be beacuse he just loves the shirts. Great for his paddle boarding. Could it be the shirt?

July 10, 2014 10:16 pm

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