Chewing Gum: Why Offer Your Kids Gum With Xylitol?

Posted June 1, 2018

No matter what you do, you will probably find yourself faced with kids who are asking (or begging and pleading) for gum. Fortunately, we live in a world in which gum is not limited to the full-of-sugar stuff that tastes exceptional but that is also known for contributing to oral health problems like tooth decay. Instead, the suggestion is to offer your kids (and yourself) sugarless chewing gum because it’s still fun and it’s much safer. To take this a step further, we encourage you to consider chewing gum with a sweetener called xylitol. Learn more!

It’s Sweet!

Your kids want to chew gum and they want something sweet. You want to protect them by giving them things that are safe for their oral health and generally good for them all around. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that comes from plants!

It’s Safe!

When you hand over a piece of xylitol-sweetened chewing gum to your kids, you are offering up benefits for their oral health, which is quite exciting when you consider the alternative (sugar-packed gum). Before we go into the details regarding xylitol specifically, remember that gum that’s free of sugar in general can benefit smiles in the following ways:

• It encourages salivation (which is important for smile health and cavity prevention)
• It physically helps clean teeth as particles stick to the gum

Xylitol Benefits

In reference specifically to choosing gum sweetened with xylitol instead of some other sugar replacement, you can feel good about your choice. Xylitol is not something that bacteria feed on, so it will not encourage cavities. In addition, this sweetener may prevent certain bacteria from adhering to teeth, which offers even greater decay prevention!

Talk With Us About Sweets And Smile Care

We are always happy to discuss how to approach eating sweets and managing your children’s oral health! It seems challenging but tips and tricks are always helpful. Schedule a visit with your Dallas, TX children’s dentist, Dr. Marr at Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda by calling 214-321-4880. We proudly welcome patients from Dallas, TX, and all surrounding communities, including Casa Linda, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Forest Hills, East Dallas, Mesquite, Garland, Richardson, and more.