Hello,
The dry mouth started earlier this year for me, and around the same time, my teeth started hurting like crazy. I had a bad feeling that more cavities were to come.
I know xylitol has proven benefits for dental health. Recently, I started chewing xylitol gum primarily to help produce saliva, but I've also noticed that my teeth no longer hurt at all since I started.
Have many of you been successful chewing xylitol gum everyday to prevent dental damage?
Styx
Styx, I use oraMoist every night and sometimes during the day and it contains xylitol (along with a bunch of stuff). I never thought of it for helping not get cavities, but I use it for dry mouth. OraMoist is sort of a chicklet size lozenge you put on the roof of your mouth, or on the inside of your cheek. I am not trying to push OraMoist, just that I'm using something with xylitol.
Lucy
Thanks, Lucy. How long do you keep it in your mouth?
I found chewing gum with xylitol works great in helping produce more saliva. I refuse to have it in my house though anymore as it is extremely toxic to dogs. I am very forgetful and I am always worried I will leave a piece sitting somewhere or they will get into the garbage. I work at a vet's office and have seen way too much stuff so I get very worried about my animals with stuff like this. So I have had to stop chewing it and I no longer chew gum either. It did work great though.
I use saliva sure melts every night and have for about 18 months. I have had the odd cavity or two so they must help. I agree, my teeth hurt less now.
Xylitol rocks! ;D
Just be aware that too much of it can affect your digestion....can give you diarrhea if you have too much, and if you are used to havng a certain amount every day and then stop, you can become constipated.
Quote from: Sleepy In Seattle on December 01, 2012, 09:28:56 AM
Xylitol rocks! ;D
Just be aware that too much of it can affect your digestion....can give you diarrhea if you have too much, and if you are used to havng a certain amount every day and then stop, you can become constipated.
Oh my gosh. *facepalm* You just solved a mystery :D
I knew about the diarrhea, but I built up a tolerance to it; however, I recently started experiencing the most painful, intense bouts of constipation in my whole life, and this is particularly notable for a person with a history of Crohn's disease.
Thank you! That explains it :D I've been using less gum recently.
Styx
In Finland they've used xylitol for years for protecting teeth. Even in daycares they give it to kids. The gum packs come with a text "Finnish dentist alliance recommends..."
My own dentist, too, recommends xylitol for the last thing in the evening. And my kids have been using xylitol since small toddles and now as teens their teeth are almost free from defects despite the lousy genes. My younger one's dentist actually welcomes her to the appointment by saying "oh, you're the girl with the awesome teeth!" :)
@styx........OraMoist disolves in your mouth. Sometimes one will last all night. This isn't for everyone, but I'm glad I found it. It holds moisture in your mouth and becomes like a little disolvable sponge. Bad description, but you'd have to buy it to see if you like it. I found it in Fla while on vaca a couple of years ago. I can only find it in one Walgreens in my town and I buy as many boxes at a time as i can. I'm afraid they will stop making it.
There's also something called Xylimelts, which I really like. They look like tiny antacids - kinda chalky, tan on one side and white on the other. You put them with the brown side against your gums, kinda above your eye teeth. after 5-10 minutes it adheres there and you can sleep with it in...it slowly releases xylitol all night and keeps your mouth moist and almost totally plaque-free - it's amazing. You wake up with a fresh-tasting mouth, not "dragon-breath", LOL. You can use more than one if you need to.
I have found them in natural food stores or online from Amazon.
I chew Spry gum. I love it! Cinnamon flavor is good!