Most chewing gums and mints are sweetened with sugars or sugar substitutes that can increase the chance of caries. Xylitol is the only sweetener that has been shown to reduce the potential for tooth decay. Some of the gums and mints you see on the shelves in stores may contain small amounts of xylitol, often in combination with other sugars.
Be careful, because many of these brands do not contain nearly as much xylitol as Epic 100% Xylitol Sweetened Gums and Mints. In fact, Epic Xylitol Gum contains 525% more xylitol per piece than Trident and at least 45% more than any other brand we have found in national chain stores. Why does that matter? Because the scientific studies that have shown that xylitol can reduce the risk of harmful bacteria and caries have been conducted using xylitol at levels easily achieved using Epic 100% Xylitol Gum, not the smaller levels used in those other brands.
Each piece of Epic™ gum contains over 1 gram of xylitol and scientific studies show that 5-12 grams of xylitol per day are needed to help reduce the risk of caries.
That matters because your patients might see other gums advertise that they contain xylitol but they may also contain other sugars that can contribute to tooth decay. Epic Xylitol Gum is 100% sweetened with xylitol.
