Xylitol

My husband handed me a piece gum the other day, and was perplexed by the annoying 'bursting' graphic that was used to announce "Now containing xylitol!" My husband is one to wonder (out loud) why do they have to keep adding ingredients to gum! I'm not going to chew that! I am one to think (to myself) but I like the burst of fruit flavor, so ease up, and then forget about it. I did forget about it until my dentist gave me some literature on remineralization (I have two teeth that are on the verge of developing cavities) and one of the tips was to chew gum that contains xylitol. Yay! I'm already doing that!

Xylitol is a sugar substitute found naturally in fruits like plums and raspberries. Unlike sugar which fuels the bacteria in our mouths that eat away at the enamel on our teeth, xylitol helps produce the saliva that rinses away the bacteria.