Sugar Substitute Reduces Risk for Dental Cavities

Swedish researchers completed a study that found Xylitol, which is a sugar substitute has the ability to reduce bacteria that leads to dental cavities. In order to prevent cavities between teeth a relatively high intake would need to be available in order to reduce the acid production between the teeth. Pernilla Lif Holgerson will present her study at the at Umeå University in Sweden on February 23rd.

Xylitol in previous studies have shown reduction in cavities. You can purchase special chewing gum and candy with Xylitol as an ingredient. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol made sugar xylose also refered to as wood sugar. Xylitol is found naturally in fruits and berries such as pears and strawberries.

A series of studies of children and adolescents measured saliva samples for plaque. The studies found that 3.4 grams of xylitol consistently changed the bacteria levels. I did not however, reduce the amount of lactic acid in plaque. Another study found that a single higher dose of xylitol was able to reduce the acidity in the plaque in between the teeth.

In one study they gave 128 children ranging in age from 7 – 12 chewing gum with xylitol. They were instructed to chew a new stick of this xylitol chewing gum three times a day for a total daily dosage of 6.0 grams in one day. Initially, the amount of plaque and the production of lactic acid was reduced dramatically during the trial period. Over a four week time period, the cavity causing bacteria went down by around one-third. Six months later the values returned to the original levels. There were no side-effects reported from the xylitol.

The study concludes that xylitol can be beneficial and recommends the following:

If a person is at high risk for tooth decay they should supplement with a daily intake of xylitol.

Choose xylitol products that stimulate saliva secretion. They recommend xylitol chewing gum as the best method to introduce xyitol into the mouth.

You would need 6 grams of xylitol per day to cancel the production of acid which in turn will reduce the risk of cavities.

For optimal results, deliver the xylitol three times a day, instead of at one sitting.

The chewing gum or xylitol product should contain as much xylitol as possible and not be mixed with other sugars.

Xylitol is available as a sugar substitute sweetener at health and nutrition stores, as well as online. Xylitol chewing gum is available mostly online at this time. In the future, you might see it at health and nutrition stores.

Source: Xylitol Sugar Substitute Reduces Risk for Dental Cavities in Children

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Advanced Tooth Decay Detection Technology

We would all like to stop tooth decay before it affects the whiteness of our smile, and especially before it leads to painful cavities that may have to be drilled out. The problem is that dentists are only human and can only see with human eyes. Their eyes are trained, but by the time a dentist can see caries (tooth decay), so can anyone else, and by the time they can see the caries, the damage has already been done. Even worse, as surface dental health has improved through the fluoridation of water, caries has begun to appear below the surface where no one can see it until it is too late.

Until now, the only tool available to dentists to detect sub-surface caries was exploratory drilling. And who wants more drilling, especially in teeth that might be healthy?

But now a new solution is available. DIAGNOdent laser caries detection aid that can “see” safely through the enamel to detect caries that are too small or too deep for dentists using more traditional methods.

DAIAGNOdent is more effective than traditional detection methods

We have all suffered under the dentist’s pick. The grating metal against our enamel, the scraping, the (sometimes painful) probing. No one likes it, but we suffer through it because we assume that it allows the dentist to find all those caries that need to be treated to keep our teeth healthy, bright, and functional. What if you were told that a study showed dentists using the pick were only able to find caries 58% of the time? That means that if it were a test, dentists would get, at best, a D- in finding cavities.

What about x-rays? You remember biting down on that obnoxious plastic film while the dentist puts a led apron on you and then hides in the other room. With all that discomfort and radiation exposure, it must do a better job of finding caries. Yes, but not much. The same study showed that the x-ray bitewing only detected 67% of the caries: a C-.

But don’t you deserve A-level caries detection? Of course. And only one method allows that level of detection: DIAGNOdent. DIAGNOdent has proven 90% effective in finding dental fissures.

DIAGNOdent has none of the drawbacks of traditional methods

Not only is DIAGNOdent more effective than traditional detection methods, but think of all the unpleasantness associated with the dentist that you can do without:
NO scratching or probing with the pick
NO x-ray exposure or uncomfortable bitewing

And most of all:
NO exploratory drilling.

And even without all these painful nuisances, you’ll be getting unprecedented accuracy in the diagnosis of present and possible future caries.

Additional Benefits of DIAGNOdent

In addition to these appreciable benefits over traditional detection methods, DIAGNOdent allows numerous other, previously unanticipated benefits:

• Allows the use of minimally invasive treatments without unnecessary procedures by ensuring an accurate diagnosis of even hidden caries. Ideal for use with air abrasion and micro-rotary treatments.
• Allows dentists to track the development of caries over time to immediately identify problems to possibly isolate and remedy causes.
• Results are completely reproducible and documentable.
• Increased confidence and comfort mean you won’t dread returning to the dentist and can stop any problems before they get out of hand.

Source: Now Lasers Can Detect Invisible Tooth Decay

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