Facts for Parent: Children's Dental Health

"As a mother of 5 children, and a dentist, I wanted to give my children the gift of healthy teeth--a gift that would last a lifetime. Thirty years of research has helped me to give you a way to protect your children's teeth and let them enjoy optimum oral health without dental pain and fear" - Dr. Ellie Phillips

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Survey:

• Nearly 20% of children between 2 and 4 years have experienced a cavity.
• By age 17, nearly four out of five young people have had at least one cavity.

Xylitol and your family:

• When children eat Xylitol, it can reduce the chance of cavities up to 80%.
• Imagine how happy your children will be to avoid dental treatments.
• Imagine how good it will feel giving them the gift of a healthy smile!

The problem:

• It is acids that damage a child's teeth.
• Acids can be from foods and drinks, but also from "cavity forming" germs on your teeth.

How to prevent the problem:

• Sugar is involved in the problem. Sugar is virtually everywhere: in sodas, snacks, foods, even in some things we would never guess contain sugar, such as medications and certain toothpastes.
• Many parents have tried to control sugar but children today consume it in record amounts.

The surprising facts:

• Sugar itself doesn't harm teeth, but it gives "acid making" germs the energy to grow. Even tiny amounts of sugar help them multiply.
• The more germs, the more acids in your mouth

Parents take charge!

• After a year of eating a few grams of xylitol each day, harmful germs can be reduced by as much as 90%
• Xylitol also protects teeth from acids.

Facts about Xylitol

This blog is dedicated to the facts about Xylitol. Comments are welcome. Here are a few xylitol facts:

• Pregnant women will benefit from eating Xylitol to keep their own teeth healthy especially during the last trimester of pregnancy, when teeth are especially soft.
• Eating Xylitol mints or gum after any drink or snack to protect your teeth (especially before sleeping). By bringing the PH levels close to neutral.
• Xylitol is a natural choice for athletes and anyone who wants to take care of their teeth: Athletes are at higher risk for cavities and dental damage because they consume acidic sports drinks frequently, eat carbohydrates often and spend hours dehydrated and breathing through a dry acidic mouth. Each of these is a risk factor for tooth decay and gum disease: fortunately Xylitol can help.
• A dry mouth promotes the growth of harmful germs which damage your teeth. Xylitol will make your mouth an inhospitable place for these dangerous germs.
• Exercising or sleeping without cleaning your teeth leaves them at risk. Eat Xylitol gum or mints before and during exercise, before napping and whenever you need to clean or protect your teeth.
• Eating Xylitol gum or mints stimulates saliva flow and also makes the mouth acid-neutral (pH 7.0)
• Eating Xylitol after sports drinks and sodas, will help protect your teeth from damage (diet soda has a pH 2.2).
• Xylitol can control plaque and lessen the need for dental visits.
• If you have early gum disease or cavities, there is a chance these problems can be reversed (yes, repaired) by you, at home! If you have advanced gum disease and large cavities, regular use of Xylitol can stop things from getting worse.

Would you like to Ask Doctor Ellie a question about dental health, preventative detistry or xylitol? Go to the Ask Dr. Ellie blog.

For Xylitol products - go to www.zellies.com