Xylitol + Hydroxyapatite: What’s Actually in Your Toothpaste
Most of us pick a toothpaste by flavour and never look at the ingredient list. Two of the brands we carry at Greenbriar, Tanit and Routine, both lean on the same two ingredients, xylitol and hydroxyapatite, and they're worth knowing about whether you're a tablet person or a tube person.
What is xylitol, and what does it do in toothpaste?
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, and it's about as sweet as regular sugar, but it works very differently in your mouth. The bacteria that cause cavities feed on sugar and turn it into acid, and that acid is what wears away your enamel. They can't do that with xylitol. It's a sugar they can't actually eat, so no acid, and nothing to wear anything away. Some research also suggests that regular xylitol use can reduce how many of those bacteria hang around in the first place.
Tanit's tablets are 35% xylitol (it's the first ingredient on the list, and higher than the 25% Tanit says is typical), and Routine's tubes are sweetened with it too, which is how you get a toothpaste that tastes pleasantly sweet without a speck of sugar.
Xylitol for dry mouth and bad breath
Xylitol is also a bit of a favourite for anyone who deals with dry mouth. It encourages your mouth to make more saliva, and saliva is your mouth's built-in cleaner. It rinses away food and bacteria, buffers acid, and keeps everything comfortable. When your mouth runs dry (medications, dry winter air, and breathing through your mouth at night are all common culprits), bacteria get a lot more comfortable too, and that's one of the most common reasons for morning breath. Keeping things moist and the bacteria less well fed is a pretty good start on fresher breath.
What is hydroxyapatite?
Hydroxyapatite is a mouthful. (Say it with me: hy-DROX-ee-AP-uh-tite.)
Here's the part I love: hydroxyapatite isn't something foreign you're putting in your mouth. It's the mineral your tooth enamel is actually made of, roughly 97% of it. Every day your enamel loses a little of that mineral and gains some back, and hydroxyapatite toothpaste is basically topping up the exact material that's already there.
Here's Mat for a little science-y science on why that matters.
Mat's Corner
Enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but it's also not alive. There are no cells in there to repair it, which means once it's worn down, your body can't grow it back. What you can do is give it back the mineral it's lost. Hydroxyapatite particles in toothpaste are tiny enough to settle into the microscopic pits and rough spots on the surface of your enamel and build on the crystal structure that's already there.
It also explains the sensitivity piece. Under your enamel is dentin, which is full of microscopic channels called tubules that run toward the nerve. When enamel wears thin or gums recede, those tubules are exposed, and that's the zing you feel when something cold or hot hits your teeth. Hydroxyapatite particles can settle into the openings of those tubules and plug them up, so the signal never reaches the nerve.
Mat
Hydroxyapatite vs. fluoride
The question I'm always asked: what about fluoride?
Fluoride has been the standard for decades, and I'm not here to argue with that. But there's a fair amount of research on hydroxyapatite now, and it's interesting. In an 18-month study of 194 adults, a fluoride-free toothpaste with 10% hydroxyapatite did just as well at preventing cavities as a regular fluoride toothpaste. (Tanit's tablets are 10% hydroxyapatite, for what it's worth.)
Hydroxyapatite toothpaste for sensitive teeth
When it comes to sensitivity, a review of 22 clinical trials found that hydroxyapatite reduced sensitivity more than fluoride did. That lines up with what we hear at the shop.
A number of our customers have switched from a leading sensitivity toothpaste over to Tanitabs and tell us the sensitivity they'd been living with is gone. I love hearing it, and I'll take the win.
(If you've got sensitivity that's new, or that doesn't go away, that's one for your dentist.)
Our hydroxyapatite toothpaste picks in Calgary
Both of these brands put xylitol and hydroxyapatite on the label, and both are fluoride-free.
Tanit toothpaste tablets
Tanit's Tanitabs come in Mint, Charcoal Mint, and Strawberry. Bite down on a tab, brush with a wet toothbrush, and carry on as usual. No tube, no fuss.
Mint |
Charcoal Mint |
Strawberry |
Here's what a couple of our customers have said about the tabs:
"These tabs are amazing! Unlike regular toothpaste, these are not overwhelmingly minty and the best part you don't have to clean the sink after use." - Wendy W.
"I've also tried all 3 flavors (charcoal, mint and strawberry) and like to buy a pack of each and mix them together to change up the flavors... The strawberry is surprisingly fun as a toothpaste flavor!" - Courtney T.
There's a mouthwash version too. Tanitabs Mouthwash Tabs (Fresh Mint) also have both xylitol and hydroxyapatite in them. Break a tab apart, swish with water for 30 seconds, and spit.
Tanitabs Mouthwash Tabs, Fresh Mint
Routine toothpaste
If you'd rather stick with a tube, Routine is made right here in Calgary, in a recyclable sugarcane tube. It comes in Sexy Sadie (cinnamon, with a bit of spice) and Dirty Hipster (fresh mint).
Sexy Sadie (Cinnamon) |
Dirty Hipster (Fresh Mint) |
Routine has its fans too:
"I love this cinnamon flavoured toothpaste. I feel like I'm chewing a cinnaburst while brushing & it's great!" - Cynthia W.
"Love the taste and feel of this healthy toothpaste!" - Michele G.
Try before you commit
Sample and travel sizes.
If you're not ready to commit to a whole tube or pouch, we have sample and travel sizes of all of these. Tanit's toothpaste tabs and mouthwash tabs come in a small trial pouch, which is a very low-stakes way to find out whether the tablet thing is for you, and Routine comes in a Mini tube that's perfect for a carry-on, a gym bag, or a first try. Pick the size you want on the product page.
You can find all of them in our oral care collection, or in person at our booth at Crossroads Market in Calgary.
Frequently asked questions
Is hydroxyapatite toothpaste as good as fluoride toothpaste?
For cavity prevention, one 18-month trial of 194 adults found a 10% hydroxyapatite toothpaste performed as well as a 1,450 ppm fluoride toothpaste. It's one study, and fluoride remains the standard recommendation from most dental associations, so if you're at high risk for cavities, it's worth talking it over with your dentist before you switch.
Can hydroxyapatite toothpaste help with sensitive teeth?
A review of 22 clinical trials found hydroxyapatite reduced dentin sensitivity more than fluoride did. Hydroxyapatite particles can settle into the openings of the tiny channels in your dentin, which is what makes your teeth react to hot and cold. A number of our customers have told us the sensitivity they had with other toothpastes went away after switching to Tanitabs. If your sensitivity is new or doesn't improve, see your dentist.
Does xylitol help with dry mouth or bad breath?
Xylitol encourages saliva, and saliva rinses away food and bacteria and buffers acid. Dry mouth is one of the most common reasons for morning breath, so keeping your mouth moist is a good place to start. The research on xylitol for dry mouth itself is still fairly limited, so think of it as a helpful ingredient, not a treatment.
How do toothpaste tablets work?
Bite down on a tablet to break it apart, wet your toothbrush, and brush against the pieces to create a lather. Keep brushing as usual for two to three minutes, then rinse.
Is xylitol toothpaste safe for pets?
No. Xylitol is toxic to pets, dogs especially, so keep your toothpaste tubes and tablets somewhere they can't get to them. If a pet does eat some, call your veterinarian right away.
Where can I buy hydroxyapatite toothpaste in Calgary?
Greenbriar Market + Refillery carries Tanit toothpaste tablets and Routine toothpaste in person at Crossroads Market in Calgary, and online at greenbriarmarket.ca.
Shawn + Mat
Sources
- Caries-preventing effect of a hydroxyapatite toothpaste in adults: an 18-month double-blinded randomized clinical trial, Frontiers in Public Health, 2023
- Clinical evidence of biomimetic hydroxyapatite in oral care products for reducing dentin hypersensitivity: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis, Biomimetics, 2023 (two of the authors disclose employment with a company that makes hydroxyapatite products)
- Effectiveness of xylitol in reducing dental caries in children, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
- Xylitol toxicities, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
This post is for general information and isn't dental or medical advice. If you have questions about your teeth, your dentist is the right person to ask.
