Sorry for the delay, had to go out by the time I saw your answer.
Heard of Spry gum?
Xylitol is the subject here, it is found in wood,,, trees being not so quick and easy to grow, it would be hard and likely expensive to get so,,, it is also found in the cobs of corn. It's a sugar substitute but not like aspartame and the likes.
Doctors don't usually study natural substances unless it is beneficial to their government, well in some countries dental is free till the age of 18 so many doctors took a look and have found the claims to be right. Got a sore tooth? Want to make the bad bugs travel through your body without the ability to stick to the tissues making them kind of a friendly bug?
Xylitol is non sugar raising has low calories and satisfies the sweet tooth just about as good as sugar, in tea it's great, looks like sugar and leaves no after taste. Packets found in many places, even shoppers under their Life brand name.
Here is the trick, chew a piece of gum or suck on a candy with Xylitol (hopefully as the only sweetener, cos some companies use other stuff combined) after a meal and any bacteria in the mouth after eating will be left powerless as it passes through the body, decay will stop and possibly reverse it's self over time because you are chewing allowing saliva to help clean them and even build on the enamel when you can't brush.
You should be able to tolerate about 10g in a day without any of the side affects rarely listed by some who used up to 20g or more, some people have taken lots more, so a packet of Xylitol in tea is 4g and Spry gum is less then 1g.
Again I won't go into the science of it but I will provide a link where you can watch Doctors conferences discussing this sweetener and what it is expected to do and how it is supposed to work in the mouth and body.
I have known about it a while and since I started reading on it there has been more studies and more promising news about it.
Xylitols mode of defense is in the mouth helping prevent cavities and other mouth issues so chewing after eating is a good idea, as it turns out it seems during it's path through the body it inhibits germs from attaching to tissues which is how they connect, build up and cause us problems, if they are not able to stick and are free flowing straight out to waste production then we could be (at least) a little less full of inflammatory stuff which most of are in one way or another resulting in simple gut issues and more serious diseases such as diabetes, arthritis and such, that list can go a long way. So, chewing a few pieces of gum is the plan in the idea it doesn't kill bacteria but makes it as if friendly to the body, also dumping a packet of the sweetener in a cup of tea we want for medicinal reasons but hate to drink might not hurt any either.
Why I say might not and may is for the same reasons others do. It's proven to some point but not studied by the medical side in our country by the system so as to back it up for those who trust Pharma more then natural studies.
Anyway here is one link with several videos about 5mins or more each. If you like to get into the technical side of it this is a good place to start.
http://www.xylitol.org/xylitol-videosLoads more to read on this subject. Sorry this was so long but it had to come with what I could share. Do I believe it works? Yes, I have had an annoying tooth since my dentist many years ago screwed up in my mouth breaking jaw bones and leaving me with possibilities of infection and I could have it out but I don't want to start yanking teeth and ending up with removables. Since chewing Spry I have noticed no swelling and no pain in that tooth and might be able to save it after all. Do I think it will do more? If it can in the mouth and the mouth is the path which most bugs good and bad get into the body (as well as the skin, nose and eyes and on our food) then maybe it can help further. Xylitol is even available in a nose spray now and many other forms including tooth paste. Do watch that it's the only sweetener in gum and candy because you defeat your purpose if other chemical stuff is in there that do harm teeth or health. Also decide how much you want,,, I have the gum with me all the time and chew at least three or four/day and I don't mind a packet in my tea especially roobios which doesn't taste all that good unless I dump something in it.
Watch that it doesn't clash with some kind of medicine you are on and start off with the gum and work into packets if you tolerate well. I make no money from this stuff, I just like it and the studies done on it. And BTW, Spry seems a bit more expensive compared to other gum,,, but I get mine at the health food store, 100 pcs for eight something,,, not bad for a healthy gum.
Ok have fun with that and if anyone finds an alarming story on it or more to say or wants to correct me on something here please let us know.