The Times, by David Charter, Education Correspondent

Children Should Chew Gum, Dentist Says
     "Schools should encourage pupils to chew gum to save on the £45 million annual cost of child tooth decay, a leading dentist [Paula Moynihan] said yesterday...Gum containing Xylitol, a sweetener made from the bark of the silver birch, had two main benefits for teeth, she said. Chewing gum has long been known to stimulate saliva, which helps to clear food particles. Research has also suggested however, the xylitol reduces streptococcus mutans bacterium, and that the number of bacteria in the mouth at the time the teeth erupt determines the risk of decay later in life."