Dear Dr. Ellie,
Can you tell me a little about how Zellies fights tooth plaque? I don’t understand how a mint can reduce plaque.
Thanks,
C
Hi C,
Thank you for your e-mail.
You asked about Zellies and plaque.
Zellies are sweetened with 100 percent xylitol the best kind of “sugar-free” product.
Be careful not to confuse xylitol with sorbitol.
Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener which can cause plaque to thicken and aggravate acid reflux and gum disease.
Sorbitol is in a lot of diet and sugar free things ( drinks and gum)
If you have a plaque problem be careful to avoid it!
Xylitol ( in Zellies) kills off plaque bacteria.
If you eat a small handful of Zellies each day for five weeks the plaque germs will have gone from your teeth.
Zellies confuse the bacteria they try to use it as an energy source.
They cannot but they keep trying until they burn themselves out and are gone!
This means that as you eat Zellies you will have less and less plaque forming.
After two years of eating a few Zellies a day you will probably stop forming plaque altogether!
(I have not needed a dentist cleaning for my teeth in over ten years and I am a dentist!!)
If you need help with bleeding gums or other concerns I am happy to talk on the phone or just e-mail me questions.
Closys is a great mouth rinse if you use if you have bleeding gums or bad breath.
Use it before you brush your teeth because it helps to loosen the plaque bacteria.
For information check out www.CleanWhiteTeeth.com
Thanks and good luck.
I will ask my office manager to send you out some samples if she has not already done so!
Take care,
Ellie Phillips DDS.
26 Corporate Woods
Rochester, NY 14623
Categories: Plaque
HI! I was wondering if it would be ok/beneficial to replace the ACT mouthwash with a Xylitol mouthwash or spray, as part of the routine?Thanks
Thanks for your question: Xylitol has many dental benefits – described at length on my website.To answer your question I need to bring your attention to three important facts about xylitol: 1.) Xylitol's Antibacterial Effect:Teeth need exposure to xylitol at least 3-4 times a day. This is why intermittent use is great.It is important to have a total of 6-10 grams a day for maximum antibacterial effect on cavity and plaque bacteria in the mouth. 2.) Xylitol's Protective/Remineralizing Effect:It is best to conclude meals with xylitol so as to protect teeth after any sugary or acidic exposure from foods and drinks.When people put a teaspoon of xylitol INTO lemonade – they are not deriving these protective benefits of xylitol – because the lemonade itself is so acidic.(They may still have antibacterial effects – see note above – but they will not get the remineralizing and protective effect to build stronger/healthier tooth enamel) 3.) Xylitol and Dilute 0.05 Sodium Fluoride work in synergy/harmony:When 100 percent xylitol and a very dilute sodium fluoride are given access to a tooth surface at intervals throughout the day – the structure of the tooth repairs itself and rebuilds missing components. In other words, damage/cavities/weak enamel will rebuild itself in the presence of these two products. The products can be alternated or used one after the other – studies show the effects are synergistic. The studies showed that the repairs were much faster and greater when both were used. Studies also show that sorbitol ( in many commercial chewing gums) stops this healing from occurring – so use only 100 percent xylitol gum and mints. To answer your question:If you have great teeth, no damage, no cavities and no risk for any cavities – then xylitol alone will control plaque and you should enjoy great oral health.If you have a history of cavities or you need to repair cavities – you should consider point # 3……Also many xylitol rinses are very acidic – a bit like putting xylitol into lemonade.- consider point #1….. ( I would find out the pH of your xylitol rinse with pH paper)Finally many xylitol toothpastes are too abrasive – they have great ingredients but remove a layer of delicate enamel each time you use the paste – beware! Hope this helps to answer a difficult question……because it is a yes and no answer.Personally, I am at "risk" for dental disease. "Risk Factors" are many, but include being old, grouchy, woman, stressed 🙂 I use xylitol ( of course) and a dilute fluoride rinse (ACT) to build and repair any damage and stop dental problems from occurring. Ellie http://www.zellies.com26 Corporate WoodsRochester, NY 14623(585) 272-1270
Yikes, bubblegum ACT has sorbitol, I'm trying to remineralize my babys teeth, is this going to harm that?
There is no problem – of course I wish it were not there – but it is the best we have at this time.The use of sorbitol in this rinse will not stop it from doing its job! In conjunction with this, I am assuming that you are using 100 percent xylitol during the day and ACT rinse brushed on her teeth twice a day. Other moms will attest that you may see the cavity reverse quickly – sometimes within six weeks. Mark the date you started and mark on a calendar – check in four weeks – and again in six weeks to look for improvement. Best wishes – glad you are doing this for your baby!I would love to hear back from you in a month or two! Ellie http://www.zellies.com26 Corporate WoodsRochester, NY 14623(585) 272-1270
Hello,I have a 14 month old with 8 front teeth and 4 back teeth. She never lets me brush them even when I pin her down and wrestling with her, I still cant get more then 1 or 2 swipes with a toothbrush in. I'm currently using TOm's fluoride free bby toothpaste and just added Spry's xylitol tooth gel after I read your posts. Even then, it ends up mostly on her lips instead of teeth! Do you think this is a good program for her? Are there any fluoride free pastes you would recommend? I saw the spiffies product but I can't even get a toothbrush in let alone my whole finger with a wipe. I'm so worried she is going to get tooth decay at the rate she's going. Thank you for your knowlege and time with answering so many questions. Love to hear your opinions! Thank you =)
Dr. Ray Wagner has an excellent booklet about dental care for young children. He is the doctor who started Spiffies. You could ask him for this booklet – and for the latest advice he has for you. http://www.Spiffies.com I suggest dissolving some granular xylitol in water and trying to brush with this.It is easy to make it a game – and maybe start before she gets tired – like if she is on your knee watching TV or something. When you are using pure xylitol it does not require a sink or to spit out. We have had a lot of success with disabled children – using a small amount of xylitol ( half a teaspoon) dissolved in a small amount of water. The kids like the taste and it is so much easier. I also suggest you try to add some xylitol to her diet and also a little at the end of each meal/snack etc Ellie Ellie Phillips DDSwww.CleanWhiteTeeth.comwww.Zellies.com
3 out of my 4 kids have cavities (we just went to visit the dentist). i didn't know what I could do to fix the cavities or of there is any remedy to do so. One child has had "acid reflux" or simply acid that had worn away his tooth enamel down to the pulp. I am into alternative healthcare methods but I am at a standstill when it comes to my kids dental health. what can I do?
I just started the complete system, except that I do not have zellies. Can you send a sample so I can try them? Thank you.By the way, I feel so much better using the three rinses with brushing my teeth.Another plus is it stops me from eating sweets at night time. After doing all that work to get my teeth clean, I am not about to eat sweets as it would have been for nothing.
Send me an e-mail and tell me where you live.ellie@zellies.comMaybe I can help, although we do not have a system of sending out samples.We do offer a 100 % money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with our product.Ellie
Anonymous: Our website has a lot of information for you – also my book Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye http://www.ZelliesCleanWhiteTeeth.comFor a start I suggest you get a pound of granular xylitol from your local health food store or on line ( from us) and give a little to your kids every day.You kids need to nibble or sip xylitol – so that at the end of the day they have had at least one teaspoon of xylitol.Some people will dissolve it into a cup or bottle of water – others sprinkle it on food – what ever suits the lifestyle of your home. Zellies mints, gum, bears – any of the xylitol candies are wonderful for teeth and should be given out at the end of every meal or after any sweet or acidic snack. I suggest you use ACT mouth rinse ( bubblegum, mint or cinnamon flavor).A drop of this rinse can serve as toothpaste for kids.For any older kids, who know how to rinse and spit, can also use it as a rinse. You need to combine xylitol during the day with twice a day ACT if you are hoping to reverse these cavities – xylitol alone may not work quickly enough. Good food, fish oil, etc is already on your radar I expect.One thing you may not have considered is that cavities are caused by a bacterial infection. If you, babysitters, friends or grandparents have bad teeth or gums, you will all share this infection if you kiss or share food.Every one should be using xylitol to clean their mouths!Work at this and you may be able to reverse and make these cavities stop and even reverse ( nature can heal even cavities with xylitol and a little time!) Let me know if you have more questions after reading the site.EllieEllie Phillips DDS
Hello Dr. Ellie I do have a question that I am hoping you can assist with. I have been battling for almost a year now with oral issues. I have Sjogren's, Celiacs, and in the last 6 months in particular have been dealing with daily mouth issues. Sore mouth, tingling, thick coating in the morning, and canker sores on inner lower mouth, and sores on end of the tongue. I have had significant allergy testing and have been found to have a birch allergy along with so many other foods. I am trying to determine what I suspect is food allergies causing the daily mouth issues…or it could be an acceleration in the Sjogrens. I have been to 5 doctors and no one is able to help determine what is causing these issue. I use biotene, and a rinse but am finding no relief and am now suspecting that perhaps that is causing the issue. I cannot use regular tootepaste as it burns my gums. I noticed your mouth care system is based on xylitol and Biotene I believe also has is….if I have a birch allergy already could this only inflame an already bad situation? Any help,or advice would be so much appreciated. I am completely at my witts end and have no idea what I can brush or rinse with safely.Best Thank you…..
There is no connection between the use of xylitol and birch allergies. Biotene is NOT my recommendation. Many people who work with patients with dry mouth are frustrated by all the advertising that Biotene does.I have never found anyone who has found true relief with Biotene – it is a lot of advertising dollars – nothing else.I would STOP using this immediately.You should begin by bathing your mouth with granular xylitol dissolved in water – multiple times a day.You can make a drink with the xylitol, dissolving a teaspoon into water and sipping this during the day ( one 10 oz bottle the morning and another during the afternoon.)I suggest fruit Zellies mints would be great for you – have one of these after every meal or snack – to clean and protect your mouth.I would be happy to discuss your mouth cleaning routine with you.I recommend my complete mouth care system – used EXACTLY as I recommend – in the order that I recommend and with the exact products that I recommend.I can talk you through this if you like – and would be happy to consult by phone with you in more detail about your condition.If you would like to do this please send me a personal e-mail to ellie@DrEllie.comIt is very hard to convince someone by e-mail to take the leap of faith and follow my system.I feel that this system of oral care, along with some dietary advice, could end many of your problems.I would be happy to help.Ellie