Tooth decay is a common health problem in the U.S., second in prevalence only to the common cold. The majority of Americans have at least one cavity and three-quarters have their first cavity by the age of five.

And dentists say they are increasingly seeing toddlers with cavities, a syndrome called baby bottle or bottle-mouth tooth decay. One of the reasons is because of their bedtime habits  being put to bed with a bottle containing a sweet liquid, such as milk or fruit juice.

The sugar in the liquid then combines with bacteria in the mouth, setting off a chain reaction that causes decay and, left untreated, can and frequently does lead to problems that affect developing permanent teeth. Surprisingly, however, the answer to preventing early childhood cavities may come in the form of something sweet.

young children who were given a syrup containing xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener that’s found in plants and fruits, were less likely to develop decay in their primary teeth.

Previous studies have shown that chewing gum and lozenges containing xylitol were effective in preventing tooth decay in school-age children with permanent teeth, but this was the first study to evaluate its efficacy in toddlers.

the sweetener can be found over the counter in many forms, such as mints, chewable tablets, lozenges, toothpastes, mouthwashes and cough mixtures.

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