Are sugar-free confections really beneficial for dental health?

Oral and Systemic Effects of Xylitol Consumption

“…Xylitol belongs to the group of sugar alcohols, polyols, in which the carbonyl moiety (---C = O) of carbohydrates is replaced by an alcohol radical (---CH-OH). For this reason, most names of sugar alcohols end with "ol" [Nadimi et al, 2011]. Substitution of the carbonyl group with an alcohol group hinders digestion and metabolism, which contributes to the low-glycemic and insulinemic properties [Livesey, 2003].…”

“Setting the scene in early childhood” – an MID approach for life

“…The anti‐caries effect of xylitol is dose‐dependent and frequency dependent, and if consumed in excess, has been known to cause gastrointestinal side effects such as bloating and diarrhoea . In addition, there is potential for dental erosion if used in combination with acidic flavouring agents …”

Toward mucoadhesive hydrogel formulations for the management of xerostomia: The physicochemical, Biological, and Pharmacological Considerations

“…Dental caries arises because of the localized chemical dissolution of dental hard tissues by the acidic products from bacterial metabolic events in plaque (a complex matrix of macromolecules of salivary and bacterial origin) . Apart from its inevitable prevalence amongst xerostomia sufferers, dental caries affects a large proportion of the world population …”

“…35 Apart from its inevitable prevalence amongst xerostomia sufferers, dental caries affects a large proportion of the world population. 36 Amongst the oral microbiota, streptococci, especially Streptococcus mutans, are considered of paramount importance in the etiology of dental caries, 37 and consequently many in vitro models of oral biofilms utilize this microorganism to simulate the condition. Owing to the decreased sensitivity to antimicrobial agents of microorganisms within a biofilm, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; the conventional method for assessing the efficiency of anti-microbial agents in liquid culture) is not considered an appropriate measure of the activity of such agents.…”