I brush my teeth with Dental Sugar

What! Can you really brush your teeth with sugar? Dental sugar or xylitol is the new buzz word in tooth decay prevention and if you haven't tried it yet, you might be missing out on a big tool in our fight against tooth decay.

Tooth decay and xylitol
Tooth decay happens when tooth enamel starts to dissolve(decalcifies). This happens when the pH in the mouth and on the teeth becomes acidic and drops below the critical pH level of 5.5  When this happens calcium is removed from the teeth and this leads to demineralization and the start of tooth decay. The main reason for this drop in pH is the formation of acid as a by-product from plaque bacteria that metabolize sugar in our diets. When dietary sugar is replaced with xylitol, plaque bacteria cannot metabolize it and thus no acid formation takes place. The pH stays above 5.5 and demineralization does not take place. This means no tooth decay.

By consuming xylitol frequently on a daily basis in small quantities (only 2 teaspoons / day needed) you can effectively change the more cariogenic SUGAR-bacteria to XYLITOL-friendly bacteria. This change in bacteria is the ultimate goal that will put you on the path to cavity free teeth.

For years prevention was aimed at keeping the plaque away from the teeth with brushing and flossing, but this method alone is flawed. To keep teeth surfaces 100% clean is too big a task to ask as there is just too much room for error.

Main Benefits of xylitol
1) Best To eliminate unhealthy plaque bacteria which occurs when you take a little xylitol over time.
Xylitol prevents plaque from adhering to the tooth surface and thus helps in eliminating dental plaque. This leads to lower numbers in plaque and a healthier oral environment.

2) Xylitol raises the mouth pH and stimulates re-mineralization / healing of teeth that occurs whenever you consume even small amounts of Dental Sugar™.

3) It eliminates cavity-forming bacteria
As plaque bacteria cannot adhere properly to the tooth structure anymore and without their primary food source(sugar), they are slowly eliminated from the mouth environment.

4) It stimulates healthy saliva
The sweet taste stimulates the salivary glands to produce saliva that acts as a buffer to neutralize the low pH.

5) It protects a dry mouth
Due to the saliva stimulating effect, it keeps the mouth ‘wet’ and therefore increases the pH.

6) It loosens plaque and makes it easier to clean your teeth
When plaque bacteria metabolize Xylitol, it loses the ability to adhere to the tooth’s surface and is easily brushed off the teeth.

7) It protects teeth against a low pH or acidic damage.

8) It helps to rebuild enamel and works together with fluoride to re-mineralized teeth.
Some studies showed that xylitol can have a reverse effect on demineralized areas by increasing the pH and depositing Calcium and Fluoride in the tooth structure.

You do not have to literally put xylitol on your toothbrush today as many toothpastes on the market already contains xylitol, but using it to replace normal table sugar can be a wise decision to prevent nasty tooth decay.

Special:
We are currently giving away 1 free bag of dental sugar when visiting our Oral Hygienists to try for yourself. Contact the office now and book your oral hygiene appointment to receive your complimentary gift.