My grandfather used to joke that he didn’t have a sweet tooth, he had thirty-two sweet teeth. Some days, I sure feel like I’ve inherited those genes. Fortunately, a natural, healthy sweet alternative called xylitol is becoming more widely available to us. Xylitol has been around for a long time; it is a five-carbon sugar alcohol derived primarily from birch trees. It is found in some fruits, berries and vegetables and is produced in the human liver, which is why it’s safe for humans to consume.
What makes xylitol unique and increasingly recommended by dental teams is that it not only doesn’t cause cavities, it actually helps prevent them. Cavity-causing bacteria are unable to metabolize xylitol, so it is not converted into tooth-dissolving acid, as sugar is. This hinders the bacteria’s ability to grow. Xylitol contains about 40% of the calories that sugar does and is safe for diabetics to use.
For decay reduction, between six and ten grams of xylitol per day is recommended (three to five servings). Xylitol is available in gum, candy, toothpaste and mouthrinses, as well as in crystalline form. These products can often be easily found online (websites include www.drjohns.com, www.Carifree.com, www.spry.com) and in health food or local Market of Choice stores. We have several xylitol-containing products available in the office. If you haven’t tried it yet, ask us for a sample at your next visit!

Last week I was fortunate to attend the American Dental Association’s Washington Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, along with eight other Oregon dentists and Oregon Dental Association staff. The purpose of the meeting was to help us communicate with our congressional representatives on issues affecting dentistry and dental care for Oregonians. Dentists from all over the nation attended as we heard speakers on the recent health care legislation, issues affecting dental offices and patients, and communication. Our own Senator Ron Wyden met with our Oregon delegation and then spoke to the whole conference on the recently passed health care bill. In the photo, Dr. Wes Heringer of Salem and I are visiting the office of 4th District Representative Peter DeFazio. We thanked him for his support of two bills, including one that would make insurance companies subject to the antitrust laws that nearly every other industry is subject to. If the Senate passes the bill, it will make medical & dental insurers compete with each other and hopefully reduce costs and improve covered services for patients. It was interesting to learn more about political processes and how we as citizens can let our congressmen know our thoughts on issues and pending legislation.