There are two reasons why I make sure my house is stocked with Orbit. First, it has so many great flavors. My most recent favorite is Positively Pomegranate, which is shown below.

Second, it has this amazing ingredient called Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that has many wonderful properties, one of which is that it fights cavities and tooth decay really well. So well, in fact, that research shows children given a topical xylitol sweetened syrup on their teeth got far fewer cavities than those kids who didn’t. And according to the website Xylitol.org, xylitol not only prevented tooth decay, but it even reversed some existing tooth decay. And get this little nugget of information also from Xylitol.org:

Xylitol provides additional protection that enhances all existing prevention methods. This xylitol effect is long-lasting and possibly permanent. Low decay rates persist even years after the trials have been completed.

It’s also completely natural. Our bodies already produce small amounts of Xylitol and nature does as well in a variety of fruits.

And for those parents who love Trident gum, good news! It uses Xylitol as an ingredient, too.

One thing that you must keep in mind, though, is that Xylitol is very dangerous for dogs, so if you have a dog in your family, keep him/her far away from any sugar free gum that contains Xylitol.