Xylitol at the Chicago MidWinter Dental Society Annual Meeting
On the 27th February – 1st March 2009, the Xylitol Information Bureau was present to promote Xylitol as a key ingredient in oral health products to dentists and oral health professionals attending the Chicago Midwinter Dental Society Annual Meeting.
This is the largest of the dental meetings in the USA. In 2008 there were 34,000 attendees, and 2009 attendance seemed just as high despite the economic climate with the Xylitol Information exhibit booth receiving a continuous stream of visitors.
Adding the finishing touches reading for opening of the show
The focus of the message at this meeting was that addition of Xylitol to regular hygiene programs has been shown to reduce transmission of the bacteria between parent and their new born babies, when only the parents use xylitol chewing gum, and this has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of cavities by as much as 70% in the children when they are 5 years old.
The expanded availability of products containing Xylitol was roundly embraced by the visitors as the Xylitol health benefits are now well understood within this professional community and they are keen to have Xylitol products easily available to recommend to their patients.
Several visitors to the Xylitol Information booth discussed the importance of Oral health and its connection to systemic disease such as heart disease. The role of Xylitol in improving oral health was considered important and interest in this expanded view to total health was encouraged. This was particular good news for Xylitol since Xylitol Information had its first exposure and enthusiastic acceptance to the medical community as an adjunct to promoting general health at the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2008. It is hoped that the Xylitol message will be taken to more of the medical profession during the coming year so that all Doctors offices, as well as Dentists, are educating their patients about Xylitol health benefits.
