On Thursday, Halloween will come and go, signaling the start of the holiday season. From now until the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2013, homes and offices will be awash in holiday treats.

At The Dentists at Orenco Station, we want you to enjoy everything the holidays have to offer, but we also want you to enjoy good oral and overall health. To help with that, we recommend that our Hillsboro patients trade conventional sugar for xylitol.

What Is Xylitol?

Xylitol is a natural sweetener derived from the fibers of plants and can be substituted with sugar for baking at a ratio of 1:1. But the key thing to note here is how differently it responds to the bacteria in the mouth. Sugar responds to bacteria by creating acid, which damages teeth and creates cavities. That’s not the case with xylitol, which creates a neutral environment safe for teeth instead.

Because of how different the response is, why not consider making a switch? You can use xylitol for baking, but you can also find candies that have been sweetened with it. To find candies sweetened with xylitol, explore sites like Dr. John’s Candies and Ice Chips. You can also find xylitol products at your nearest health food store.

Do you have questions for Dr. Brandon Kearbey and Dr. Malinda Kearbey? Call us today to ask, or to schedule your next appointment. Our office is located in Hillsboro and serves patients from Forest Grove, Beaverton, Cornelius, and Rock Creek.