| Brushing, flossing, even chewing sugar free gum. | | | | Dr. Milgrom recently checked out many popular |
| We're all on a mission to stay cavity free. But | | | | products to see what it would take to reach 6 |
| now, several gums and mints have added a new | | | | grams. |
| sweetener that can pull double duty for your | | | | Smint Xylicare - a mint- contains less than point |
| teeth. | | | | two grams per serving, meaning you'd need 30 |
| The dentist's drill; it's something we dread. It's | | | | mints per day. |
| something Ryan Messner has never experienced. | | | | Epic Xylitol gum contains just over one gram per |
| What helps him stay cavity free? Everything and | | | | piece, so you'd need to chew on six pieces a day. |
| anything sugar-free. | | | | One of the highest amounts: Carefree Koolerz |
| "I'm addicted to gum," says Ryan Messner. I've | | | | gum. But you'd need to chew four sticks a day to |
| been chewing it for ten years, pretty much a | | | | get it. |
| pack a day." | | | | It can be hard to tell how much Xylitol is in a |
| Ryan says about a year ago, he noticed his | | | | product. Companies aren't required to put that |
| favorite gum had new packaging. | | | | information on the packaging and only a few do. |
| "It did say: with 'Xylitol' now," according to | | | | Dr. Milgrom is calling for clearer labeling. |
| Messner. | | | | The American Dental Association isn't willing to go |
| What exactly is Xylitol? It's a natural sugar | | | | that far, but they are keeping a close eye on |
| substitute that's exploding in popularity. It's in gum, | | | | Xylitol research. |
| candy, even pancake syrup and jam. | | | | Dr. Milgrom says, "If a consumer looks at a |
| According to dentist Dr. Milgrom, "The papers | | | | product where Xylitol is the first sugar that's |
| show pretty clearly, Xylitol prevents tooth decay." | | | | listed, there's a good chance that the product |
| But only if you get enough. | | | | contains enough xylitol to be helpful." |
| Dr. Peter Milgrom has conducted several studies | | | | Messner's favorite gum doesn't disclose how |
| on Xylitol. He says while there are no official | | | | much Xylitol is in each stick. But at a pack a day, |
| dosing guidelines, "We estimate that a person | | | | which is his usual amount, he figures that's close |
| needs to get about six grams of Xylitol a day | | | | enough to chewing his way to a healthier smile. |
| spread over maybe three different times during | | | | "I'll keep using it definitely," says Messner. |
| the day in order to get a benefit." | | | | |