Dear Dr. Ellie,
You mentioned Xylitol is used to neutralize the mouth so pH is raised (this was when the Dentist in the audience {at the last Xylitol Seminar} asked about what you meant by “eat”). The idea being to reduce acid in the mouth. So if getting Xylitol into your blood stream by eating it isn’t really the benefit, how does putting Xylitol in your coffee or in your cake help you? Is it that the more xylitol in yourmouth, whether mints, in food or in a liquid form, the less acid your mouth has in it over time so that’s the benefit in addition to obvious benefit of not using sugar?
Thanks,
A
A
Hi A,
It always seemed strange to me that Xylitol would work when baked into things. This information has been studied in a number of research projects in Scandinavia and in the US with the same beneficial results. The most recent is from a source that is extremely reliable and this is a man called Peter Milgrom who has undertaken many xylitol studies over the years and is at the University of Washington. His study is available here at and page 159 describes the use of xylitol in products and the need to study this more.
It appears that Xylitol released in the oral cavity has the ability to:
- Help remove bacteria by interfering with their adhesion
- Lower the number of decay producing bacteria by several methods including raising the pH but also interfering with their metabolism
- Stave out harmful bacteria in the mouth
This is in addition to the effect on remineralization of teeth with Xylitol. Research shows that if Xylitol is used in harmony with fluoride (ACT for example) the effects are synergistic. Hope this helps and please keep the questions coming!
Dr. Ellie Phillips
PS: I recommend the book: Sweeten your Life, the Xylitol Way, by nutritionist Karen Edwards if you are looking for some great Xylitol recipes.
This site is privately and personally sponsored, funded and supported by Dr. Ellie Phillips. There are no financial or personal ties to Johnson and Johnson or to Pfizer Corporation and the endorsement of their products is based on clinical observation, and independant ADA endorsement. To contact Dr. Ellie, email webmgr@zellies.com![]()
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