Dental care with in-between-meal snacks

Dental caries is the most common human ailment. Worldwide almost 99 percent of the population are affected mainly because of diets containing higher and higher proportions of easily fermentable carbohydrates. These in turn contribute significantly to the formation of plaque deposits on the surface of teeth. Dental caries is the destruction of hard tooth tissue caused by plaque deposits.

Plaque is made up of food residues, bacteria, their bacterial metabolic products, and saliva. These bacteria use sugars and other fermentable carbohydrates as a source of energy and convert them into acids. These acids cause a localised drop in pH, dissolving the minerals in the tooth enamel. As a result, tooth enamel, which is actually as hard as a diamond when healthy, becomes brittle and soft.

Saliva would normally act as a natural protective shield against these acids; however, with the prevalence of indiscriminate eating habits, it is no longer able to protect the teeth on its own. Frequent small meals, snacks and eating on the run can impede dental care. With each sugar-based snack, the pH value in the mouth decreases, tooth enamel is increasingly under attack, and there is less time for neutralisation by saliva. Consequently, cavities will eventually result from frequent, even relatively “mild,” acid attacks over time.

The science of toothfriendliness
Chewing gum and boiled sweets based on sugar replacers such as isomalt, maltitol, sorbitol, and xylitol are guaranteed to help as dental care products. The number 1 sugar replacer used in sugar-free hard candies is isomalt. It is also used in chewing gum and a wide range of other food products.

A method called plaque pH telemetry is used to test scientifically whether an ingredient or food is harmful to tooth substance and enamel. In this process, a device with a glass electrode is placed in the space of a missing tooth for a few days until its pH-sensitive membrane is completely coated in bacterial plaque. With this method, any change in the pH value during food consumption and immediately afterwards can be measured directly within the plaque, i.e., as if on the surface of the tooth. The critical pH, below which demineralisation occurs, is 5.7. If the pH

value in the mouth does not fall below the critical value of 5.7 within half an hour during and after consumption, the food is considered non-cariogenic, or toothfriendly.

Research studies conducted at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena in Germany have shown that the sugar replacers isomalt and xylitol are not converted by plaque bacteria in the mouth, thus preventing the creation of tooth-damaging acids. As result of this, the pH value remains neutral. Consumption of sugar-free products containing isomalt can even help to remineralise and “repair” minor tooth damage. Firstly, because the saliva flow is stimulated and, secondly, because its composition is altered: both the pH value and the concentration of calcium and phosphate ions required for remineralisation increase. In this way, as studies have shown, isomalt sweets are even able to neutralise the pH value in the mouth after the consumption of food containing sugars.

A vital factor in the toothfriendliness of a product is the need to substitute nearly all fermentable carbohydrates as even small amounts can lead to the formation of acids. Obviously, other tooth-damaging ingredients, such as fruit acids, or ingredients containing sugars, such as milk or cream, must also be taken into account.

The “Happy Tooth” logo of Toothfriendly International

Pleasure and quality count
While all sugar replacers are generally considered toothfriendly; they differ in several technological and sensory properties. The most important factor is always taste – the attribute “toothfriendly” alone does not guarantee a product market success for a product. Even though consumers are increasingly on the lookout for healthy foods, they are not prepared to sacrifice taste in favour of better nutritional properties.

Isomalt: The only sugar replacer derived from pure sugar beet.

The only sugar replacer obtained from pure beet sugar and, consequently, having a very similar taste is isomalt. With about half the sweetening power of sugar, isomalt has a very similar sweetness profile without any additional or after taste. If necessary, it can be combined with intense sweeteners to achieve the desired sweetness.

Furthermore, isomalt does not produce any cooling effect in the mouth. This is generated by the negative heat of solution produced when a substance dissolves in the mouth - the higher the negative value, the stronger the cooling sensation in the mouth. For example, xylitol and sorbitol have a strong cooling effect and sometimes an additional taste. For these reasons, they are mainly used in products with a menthol flavour and not in fruit or cream flavours or even in chocolate, where their cooling effect would not be welcome and disturbing the taste. However, if a cooling effect is desired, this can easily be produced by adding appropriate flavours.

Another advantage of isomalt is its slow dissolution kinetics. The longer an isomalt-based sweet remains in the mouth, the longer the flavour will be released, ensuring dental care with lasting enjoyment if other active ingredients are being used they also have more time to take effect.

When it comes to product quality and storage properties, the hygroscopicity of the raw material is a vital factor. This refers to its capacity to bind water. In contrast to xylitol, isomalt is barely hygroscopic and thus does not absorb any moisture from the environment. If a sweet is made from a highly hygroscopic substance, it will quickly become sticky and will melt easily.

Toothfriendly chewing gum with isomalt for between-meal dental care.

The same applies to chewing gum coatings. With its low hygroscopicity, isomalt guarantees a strong, smooth coating with a pleasant crunch and will not become sticky even after lengthy storage. At the same time, it protects the chewing gum centre from drying out. The low hygroscopicity of the sugar replacer is of central importance, particularly in light of the latest trends in packaging – bulk and big plastic containers. Isomalt replaces sugar on a one-to-one basis and can be processed using standard production equipment without any major adaptations to the recipes or production parameters.

Healthy eating

In addition to its toothfriendliness, isomalt has further nutritional benefits that are also associated with its molecular stability. As isomalt is incompletely broken down in the small intestine, it has hardly any effect on blood sugar and insulin levels. With a glycaemic index of 2, it is also suitable for diabetics and anyone else on a carbohydrate-based low glycaemic diet. Moreover, isomalt has only half the calories of sugar. This is particularly important as modern eating habits involve lots of small snacks between meals, which have a major impact on calorie intake.

Isomalt can replace sugars in a wide range of products. Sugar-free sweets, especially chewing gums, have become well-established as between-meal dental care products. Demand for them is great, and they have won an enormous market share. The market share of sugar-free chewing gum is experiencing a constant upward trend around the world, even approaching the 100 percent mark in some countries. For all those who look for more choices beyond chewing gum, toothfriendly candies, tablets – fizzy and sweet – or even chewy candies and chocolcate offer a new dimension of guilt-free indulgence.

A New Toothfriendly Sugar
Although this sounds paradox, it is a fact. Palatinose™ is a disaccharide which, like isomalt, is obtained from pure beet sugar – but, unlike isomalt, it is a fully available carbohydrate. Its toothfriendliness also stems from a more stable molecular bond, which is more resistant to degradation by plaque bacteria in the mouth and thus is the reason why the plaque pH does not fall into the critical range. Furthermore, due to its slow release in the gastrointestinal tract, Palatinose™ also produces more balanced and longer-lasting energy, has a low glycaemic index and promotes fat burning.

Within the ISM 2009 in Cologne, BENEO showcased the world’s first toothfriendly chocolate consumer products. The chocolate for these products was produced by leading chocolate and cocoa manufacturer Barry Callebaut for Belgian chocolate candy makers. Moreover, within the past year’s drinktec in Munich BENEO presented the first toothfriendly ice-tea developed together with Döhler.

First market products prove the attractiveness of Palatinose™’s non-cariogenic characteristics:

• Chocolate candy Hopla is in the form of hollow figurines. It is available in Belgium.
• Daskalides chocolate bar targeted at both adults and children. It is also available in Belgium
• Good for me is an ice-tea in honey and orange flavour marketed in Switzerland.

All products feature the “Happy Tooth” label from Toothfriendly International, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving dental health.