Analysing the benefits of erythritol in oral care

In the 19th century the addition of flavourings and abrasives such as marble powder and soap powder led to a more sophisticated formulation. The most simple polyol, glycerine, was added as a humectant and sweetener at the end of the century and the “toothpaste” went into industrial production. At the same time the cariogenic nature of oral bacteria was discovered, along with a scientific understanding of the damaging effect of the metabolism of sucrose and organic acids on the enamel. 

Polyols are applied as a bulk sweetener in a large number of oral care products globally. Polyols cannot be metabolised by oral bacteria and the findings of some new studies suggest that erythritol in particular displays better functionalities than other polyols. The efficiency and properties of sugar alcohols are dictated by their chemical structure. They have some functions in common but their chemical profile determines the efficiency of specific anticaries properties. Sorbitol and xylitol are the main polyols used in toothpaste, mouthwash and dental chewing gums. In recent years, oral care products containing xylitol – and latterly erythritol – have increasingly been available on the global market. Even the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) recognises that the use of polyols as a sugar replacement in food items contributes to the maintenance of tooth mineralisation (EU Commission Regulation 432/2012).

Typical functional ingredients in toothpaste