Halloween is all about costumes and candy. Unfortunately, the sugar in sweet treats causes pediatric dentistry problems, like cavities. As a parent, you want your little one to be able to enjoy their trick-or-treating haul without harming their smile, in which case xylitol candy is a healthy alternative. Find out more about its uses below.

How Xylitol Promotes Oral Health

When sugar coats the teeth—for example, after a trick-or-treating binge—bacteria in the mouth feed on it. As part of the metabolic process, the bacteria release acids, which break down the protective enamel that coats teeth. They also produce plaque, a sticky substance that leads to gum disease if not removed.

Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in sweets and gum. Unlike normal sugar, bacteria can't metabolize xylitol. When your child eats products with xylitol instead of sugar, bacteria become less prevalent in the mouth because they don’t have a food source. Research even shows that pregnant women who chew xylitol gum reduce bacteria levels in their children.

Best Practices for Using Xylitol

Xylitol is most often found in hard candies like lollipops and gum. Provide your child with these treats to tap into yet another benefit of xylitol: increased saliva production. Dry mouth is associated with a greater risk of cavities, while chewing gum or sucking on a lollipop to encourage saliva flow washes away bacteria and food bits. Additionally, saliva keeps the pH in the mouth from becoming too acidic, which deteriorates enamel.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry supports the use of xylitol as a sugar substitute. Most studies on xylitol's effectiveness are based on taking four to five doses per day. Giving your child a xylitol treat after lunch and dinner as well as having them chew gum between meals would meet these standards.

Xylitol use should be supplemented with standard dental care, including brushing and flossing twice per day.

Scheduling a professional teeth cleaning is another way to keep any Halloween-related dental damage at bay. With offices on Oahu and Maui, Pedodontic Associates is here to help. They’ve served the Hawaii community for over 25 years, and their caring team knows how to make anxious patients feel at ease. For a pediatric dentistry appointment, call (808) 735-1733 for the Honolulu location, (808) 877-0066 for Kahului, or (808) 487-7933 for Aiea. You can also download new patient forms online.