Hello Dr. Ellie:
Just came across your site and am very interested in trying out your mouth care system. I often suffer from dry mouth and bad breath (I have to use a steroid inhaler for asthma), but I was just wondering:- Are Smints the same as Zellies? If not, do you know where I can find Zellies or other 100% Xylitol products in the UK either mints or gum? It is not so easy to find “Crest Regular” toothpaste in the UK, although I have occasionally seen other type of Crest. Is there any other toothpaste that would be suitable? (How about the Retardex one?) I was told that I should not use mouthwashes with alcohol, as they dry my mouth even more. Doesn’t Listerinecontain alcohol?Many thanks in advance for your advice. You have a great website!
JB
Hi JB,
Thanks so much for your message welcome to the wonderful world of oral health!
We are working hard to try and help people make good “substitute choices” when it is difficult to find exact products recommended for my system.
We will continue to address non USA countries helping people figure out what to do.
We would appreciate any feedback you have, particularly if you and other consumers could convince a big company like Boots to start carrying these items. If Boots were to have the original Crest…let me know …..and I will help spread the word!
Some Smints are 100 percent xylitol but Smints also come in flavors that are not…..check the ingredients ( you may need a magnifying glass!!)
Yes, any xylitol will work you could also try Tesco.
I think Tesco sell granular packets of xylitol under the label Perfect Sweet.
If this is correct and you find it I would love to have confirmation so that I can tell others.
We have recently compiled a list of substitute toothpastes and Retardex paste ( in USA it is called Closys) is my first suggested “substitute” toothpaste.
I have worked with many patients with dry mouth many chemotherapy patients and also patients with disease of the salivary glands.
Listerine has been rigorously studied over many years and has not been shown to be a problem.
I recommend Listerine providing you rinse it off after using with the ACT ( as suggested in my system) – because it is acidic and acidity will soften your teeth. (For more information you may like to read my book Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye available on Amazon)
There were some negative studies about Listerine but these were not done on patients.
They took skin cells in the lab and poured Listerine on them. In the mouth the effects of Listerine were shown to be very different.
I believe the “bad alcohol” studies were done in Australia (where interestingly they are trying to launch a new brand of mouth rinse using a native plant extract….)
I use Listerine. I feel comfortable using it since oral health is vital for general health.
At the present time, I believe my system offers the safest way to achieve oral health for most people.
Best Wishes!
Ellie
26 Corporate Woods
Rochester, NY 14623
Categories: Uncategorized
Hi Dr Ellie. In the UK we have health stores in most towns called Holland & Barratt which commonly stock Perfect Sweet. I was wondering if I could ask about your thoughts on the alternative therapy – oil pulling (sometimes known as swilling) whereby you swish cold-pressed sesame seed oil in your mouth for 15 minutes a day. Have you had any experience with this…what are your thoughts? If I'm correct, sesame seed oil is acidic so by nature wouldn't swishing oil around your mouth cause more harm than good? Many thanks for your help. I've ordered your book and look forward to reading it.Regards,Kath
Thanks for the information about Holland and Barratt – I can suggest to UK residents that they look for Perfect Sweet there! As far as oil pulling – I have not experienced this myself – but I am aware of the remedy.It seems harmless and hear say says it works to reduce gum disease. Personally I vote for Closys ( Retardex in the UK) since it works to heal gum disease in a much shorter time!I have seen and heard of many amazing stories with this product, used in my system of oral care with xylitol – to cure gum disease that would otherwise have needed surgery. I do not have "clinical studies" since I do not own this product nor work for an institution.I am simply a long time clinical dentist that cares to help people with my experience. Good luck – I would suggest retardex long before I would suggest spending time with sesame oil in my mouth!Ellie http://www.zellies.com26 Corporate WoodsRochester, NY 14623(585) 272-1270
Hi Dr Ellie,Many thanks for your reply. I shall certainly look out for Retardex. Are there any other UK products like your xylitol mints that I can pick up easily in the UK? I'm looking forward to receiving your book from amazon and reading about the system. I've also heard that strawberries are good for whitening teeth. Are there any other foods you would recommend to naturally whiten teeth?Regards,Kath
Yes, Strawberries are good for teeth and also contain xylitol! Ancient cultures mixed strawberries and iris flower as a natural way to whiten teeth. There are many foods that are beneficial for teeth – I have a chapter dedicated to "foods for teeth" in Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye. One food that often misrepresented in the literature is milk. Cows milk is cariostatic – which means it is beneficial for teeth, prevents decay and helps remineralize tooth enamel.If you eat dairy products after something sugary or acidic, they help protect teeth from acidic damage ( …think cookies and milk or wine and cheese!) It is interesting that dentists recently started selling expensive "remineralizing" toothpaste – it is made from milk powder! Thanks for your question,Ellie http://www.zellies.com26 Corporate WoodsRochester, NY 14623(585) 272-1270
Xylitol is available in the larger Sainsburys supermarkets, as well as Holland and Barrett health food shops, as mentioned by another poster. In addition, 100% xylitol mints are available, but I've not found them in any shops, only online. Hope this is helpful to pass on.
Thanks for helping others who live in UK find the products they need!I appreciate the feedback.