Xylitol – a common sugar substitute – is a subject of heated discussion among dental specialists in recent times. It began from the Cleveland Clinic research that revealed a list of harmful side effects of xylitol consumption in high amounts, including stroke, heart attacks, and thrombosis.
Still, this statement requires more research-based evidence to be considered as a cause to ban the chemical. However, recently, some dental experts have highlighted the notable clinical benefits of xylitol, especially for patients who have poor oral hygiene due to several neurodegenerative or mental disorders.
A few days ago, US scientists published a new study that revealed the importance of xylitol for pregnant women. As it turned out, chewing xylitol gum reduces the risk of preterm birth by 24% and decreases the percentage of low-birthweight babies by 30%.
What did scientists find?
The study gathered more than 10,000 participants – almost half of them received xylitol gum, while another followed traditional dental recommendations. The group with gum demonstrated significant improvements in the course of pregnancy, resulting in a lowered risk of preterm birth. The link between these phenomena still needs to be explained more clearly, but scientists suggest that the cause is antibacterial effects.
This chemical inhibits the growth of microbes associated with periodontal disease and causes gum inflammation. The periodontal disease, in turn, is often associated with preterm birth, and the inflammation process affects fetal development.
Additionally, some oral bacteria may spread through the bloodstream to other organs, also causing inflammation in different parts of the human body.
What's next?
The leading researcher – Dr. Greg Valentine – was also involved in another research that focused on neurodevelopment in children born during the xylitol gum study. The study will be finished by the end of 2027, and its result will allow the researcher to decide whether xylitol exposure via chewing gum is a suitable and safe recommendation.
Theoretically, this approach may be quite helpful for women in lower-resourced communities with limited access to proper dental care.
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