Candy at the Dentist Office?
At both Paula and Stacy’s desks, we have a bowl of suckers and get teased a lot that we are trying to encourage cavities! Quite the contrary actually…
The suckers we offer contain xylitol which is a natural sweetener that can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Some of the most common xylitol-rich foods include berries, mushrooms, corn, and lettuce. Studies indicate that 4 – 20 grams of xylitol each day, divided into three or more servings, can reduce tooth decay and cavities by as much as 70%.
It may be hard to consistently eat four or more cups of fruit or vegetables each day; as a point of reference, a single cup of berries contains a little less than one gram of xylitol. For this reason, xylitol is also available as a sugar substitute, a gum, as a concentrate in healthy foods and yes, in the suckers offered by your dental office.