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interesting info on xylitol and oral biofilms

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Posted 11/6/2012 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Came across this today and thought I'd share. Makes me wonder ... if it's good dentally, I wonder if xylitol survives stomach acid and could possibly get through to treat lyme biofilms ... or maybe at least enhance an active program? (Me and my kids are using xylitol to fight tooth decay caused by bacteria.) Follow link below to see entire pubmed review.

Effect of xylitol on an in vitro model of oral biofilm.

The aim of the present study was to examine whether xylitol, at different concentrations, inhibits the formation of an experimental model of oral biofilm.

CONCLUSIONS:

Xylitol has a clear inhibitory effect on the formation of the experimental biofilms. This study shows that xylitol is not only efficient in inhibiting the acid production of cariogenic bacteria, but also in preventing the formation of a multispecies biofilm; it confirms the relevance of the use of this polyol for the prevention of oral diseases caused by dental plaque.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19178100
Posted 11/7/2012 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
Interesting to be sure! I'm wondering if Xylitol can survive the stomach acid?
Posted 11/7/2012 10:00 PM (GMT 0)
So I spent some time looking online for information on Xylitol surviving stomach acid, and then had to go to the health food store this morning and asked the owner. He told me that he had just attended a seminar on Xylitol, and that whether or not it survives stomach acid has not been answered as of yet.

So while it's really good at reducing biofilms in the mouth, it's unknown if it will affect biofilms anywhere else in the body - BUT high doses will give a person diarrhea - so be careful on the dosage!
Posted 11/7/2012 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
I wonder if the xylitol absorbs through the mucus membranes of the mouth like homeopathic remedies do? Maybe chewing it in gum is better than swallowing it?
Posted 11/8/2012 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
You all probably already know this, but xylitol is toxic for dogs according to my vet......be very careful to keep it away from your furry friends!
Posted 11/8/2012 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
yes, I wonder these things too. Xylitol doesn't have the greatest safety profile (esp for kids) as it can cause diarrhea even at low doses, but we are mostly spitting it out (in toothpaste).

That's great info Traveler! How amazing about the timing of your visit!!! I doubt xylitol will be used for formal biofilm treatment, but since a lot of LLMDs say lyme can be in mouth, maybe it's beneficial in some way to chew xylitol gum?

Angela, I didn't know that about dogs, thanks for sharing.
Posted 11/9/2012 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
Xylitol is seen as fiber to our digestion - but then it breaks down into a short chain fatty acid called butyrate. This is a pre-biotic that feeds healthy bacteria in the intestine. The only time xylitol causes diarrhea is if too much is eaten too quickly by people not used to fiber in the diet. If you adjust to xylitol slowly it will help heal digestive problems like IBS and Chron's disease.
Don't confuse xylitol with six-carbon sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol and maltitol - that have NONE of xylitol's health properties and also cause lots of gas and stomach bloating problems!
http://anti-inflammatoryremarks.blogspot.com/2010/06/xylitol-healthy-like-sugar-isnt.html
Posted 11/9/2012 11:39 AM (GMT 0)
That's interesting Zellie.So, do you believe xylytol actually survives stomach acid? If so, do you know if it has scientifically been studied to do so? I was thinking about it yesterday, and it makes sense that it would since it effects digestion.

Hmm, now I'm wondering, since it's a PREbiotic, if it would be good to prevent c.difficile or to treat it? Lots of good info about effect prebiotics are having with c.diff, and researchers now believe that probiotics may actually exacerbate c.diff.

Do you work for Zellies? Thanks for sharing info.
Posted 11/9/2012 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
That's quite an interesting blog - but let's remember it's just a blog. I didn't see any links to scientific studies or any other scientific information. So it's someone's opinion, just like so many of us do here.

Until there is scientific evidence that Xylitol survives the stomach acid, there is no way to know. A simple overuse of any herb or supplement can cause intestinal upset.
Posted 11/23/2012 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
My research does not show xylitol to be a preferred product for lyme disease - although it may help improve gum health and thereby reduce an often underestimated source of inflammation - and thus help the immune system fight other battles.

Nano silver would probably be a better suggestion for fighting lyme disease - and Gordon Pederson is the expert I would reach out to for information and help.
http://www.new-antimicrobial.com/excerpt-from-a-fighting-chance-by-gordon-pedersen
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