Candy Season Survival: Can Xylitol Gum Help Protect Kids' Teeth?
AMERICAN FORK – November 02, 2026 -- Parents who can't keep candy away from their kids can add xylitol gum or toothpaste to the daily routine, and a 40-month study found xylitol gum users had roughly 73% less tooth decay, according to Spry.
A 40-month Belize study tracked xylitol gum chewers
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol commonly used as a sweetener in chewing gum and oral care products. In the study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, children who chewed 100% xylitol gum had approximately 73% less tooth decay than children who did not chew gum.
The children were not asked to reduce their sugar intake or change their eating habits. The research is not new, but Spry points to it as evidence for xylitol as an additional tool in children's oral care.