Metal Mouth Message Board

Although I have read conflicting articles on line, and on this site, I think chewing gum might help in managing the pain, and stimulating the gums.
While shopping at Target to stock up on gum (yum, Mojito flavored!) I realized the sugar free all use artificial sweetners. I try to avoid artificial sweetners, and then I found this product on line: Xylitol Gum.
I found this on line: "I am a practicing dentist in Oregon. The more I learn about xylitol, the more I'm impressed. I am a chewer, even though I have braces. Since plaque tends to accumulate around all my brackets and rubber-bands, its comforting knowing that xylitol is helping me fight the bad flora in my mouth."
I googled Xylitol on this site but did not find a gum reference, only mints.
And my reality check? While at Target I noticed a woman about my age and once we established eye contact, I smiled (as I generally smile first at everyone) and she smiled back. She was missing a lot of her front teeth for whatever reason. Wow. I feel so fortunate to be able to afford my braces, and keep my teeth!

Oops, I guess I need some coffee this morning. I meat to add, does anyone currently use it? The brand name is Epic.

I've never heard about this before. If it works, it would be great! I found some info from the California Dental Association about it:
http://www.cda.org/popup/xylitol

My dentist referred me to this gum and the mints as well. The sell in their office, so at first I was thinking that it was a way for them to make more money, but after using it for a bit I realized, that it indeed does help with build up. I started using it before getting braces and have used it with as well. It works really good...the one thing my dentist told me was that the gum you get in stores doesn't have the amount of xylitol in it that you would get from your dentist. So you might want to ask your dentist about that maybe he can get you some.

that article is very interesting cat fish, I've missed chewing gum, i've been using mints as substitutes for fear that gum would get stuck on my bracets and then bad things would happen so that would be my only concern. Does this gum get stuck on bracets or no?

I carried on chewing (sugar free) gum all the way through my braces journey and it never got stuck to the brackets

In fact, I'm sure I read somewhere that gum is good as it stimulates blood flow in the teeth and gums

Most Trident gums use Xylitol as sweetner instead of sugar. I asked my dentist about it once and he said it's alrite but I shouldn't 'go out of my way' to get it.

I think my dentist said no gum (i really didnt ask but in a bad food list), but Im really craving it. I have an adjustment coming up on the second I think ill ask about it then.

pegasus2425 wrote:My dentist referred me to this gum and the mints as well. The sell in their office, so at first I was thinking that it was a way for them to make more money, but after using it for a bit I realized, that it indeed does help with build up. I started using it before getting braces and have used it with as well. It works really good...the one thing my dentist told me was that the gum you get in stores doesn't have the amount of xylitol in it that you would get from your dentist. So you might want to ask your dentist about that maybe he can get you some.

Xylitol works due to inhibiting the growth of plaque, supposedly for tricking it into thinking the sweeter is sugar; it can't metabolize the xylitol, and is inhibited. If you have actual nasty-looking crud building up, any denture-safe gum will do the trick for helping to remove some of that. (Freedent, Trident, Dentyne, Orbit, etc.)

Myself, I'll stick with toothpaste and generic listerine as opposed to some dentist-pushed cash cow.

SirWired

Actually my Dentist did not push this on me. I found it whole searching for a non artificial sweetner gum.

www.epicdental.com/p-49-xylitol-gum-and-mint-kit.aspx

spam post

I chew trident pretty frequently and don't really have a problem as far as getting gum stuck on the brackets, only now and then a little piece will be.

It was recommended by my dentist because of the high decay rate in my mouth is probably in part simply due to the bacteria in my mouth is more prone to promote decay than average. Xylitol helps to change the PH of the bacteria, in turn helping prevent decay.

Also gain the benefit of fresh breath all the time! I personally stock a ton of this gum and chew it all the time.

I had been avoiding gum completely but my ortho actually told me it would be good to fight plaque and close my open bite! who knew?!

I chew gum every day at least at some point during the day. Always sugar free, it never sticks, but I do always try to find a gum with Xylitol. It has helped me deal with the pain by stimulating the chewing action, and it makes your breath fresh