Tuesday, April 28, 2015

"x" is for xylitol and xylimelts

Xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol (like isomalt, from yesterday's post). It's wonderful when used in small quantities, and I am still consuming rather large quantities of sweetener. (Although I'm using far less than I used to, I think it's still too much for me to switch. It's actually one of my goals to swap Splenda for Xylitol.)

Have you tried it? It's used in many "sugar free" products. My naturopath, Jill Clarey, recommends it. But I always like to have more than one opinion!

Xylimelts


I struggle with dry mouth, due to some of the prescriptions that I use to manage my chronic pain. Especially at night, sometimes it feels like my lips are glued together, or I wake coughing because I have no spit left! My dentist gave me a sample of Xylimelts, and I'm hooked! They are like breath mints (you can get mint or mint-free) but they have a sticky disc on one side so that it actually sticks to your teeth. So, I stick it to a molar and my saliva glands work more and I can sleep better. I have found that these last between 2-4 hours - much longer than pastes, gels, or tapes. They are sweetened with xylitol, which doesn't cause tooth decay or sugar issues. I highly recommend Xylimelts (even though they're not actually food) for those who deal with dry mouths.

 

3 comments:

  1. This post was super helpful for me! I'm actually a dentist in "real life" so I'm very familiar with xylitol. I hadn't ever heard of XyliMelts though. I'm going to have to try them with some of my dry mouth sufferers. The only precaution I give to xylitol users is to keep it away from pets. Xylitol is poisonous to them...dogs in particular...so you don't want to leave a container or bag of xylitol containing products laying around. Great pick for letter X!!! Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie

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    1. Forgot to mention... I love xylitol as an alternative sweetner. Not only does it not cause tooth decay, studies have been shown that use of it at a certain level (I forget the exact dosing) daily for two years can actually eradicate the decay causing bacteria from your mouth for a period of time. It's been a while since I've read the study so I don't remember the details, but still a pretty cool concept.

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    2. Thanks for all that info - especially from a dentist! And, I'll be sure to keep xylitol away from the kitties! Love the idea that it can actually HELP decay! I'd really like to know that doses... because I use so much, but it's getting smaller... Thanks!

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