Lotte Xylitol Gum Giveaway!

Lottle Xylitol & I are giving away 3 bags filled with LotteXylitol gum!

Because with all the sweets you are eating this season, you better make sure the whole family is armed to the teeth against cavities! Simply join by using the Rafflecopter widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest is open only to residents of the Philippines or those with a Philippine address. Winner will be announced on December 18, 2013! 

Wish Upon a Smile with Lotte Xylitol

Every week, from this week until the week of Christmas Day, Lotte Xylitol will be granting one child's wish! And that wish could be that of your child's!

From November 9, 2013 to December 27, 2013 Lotte Xylitol Gum will reveal seven (7) different themes for seven (7) weeks; one theme per week. 

They will then grant a wish per week, anything from books, sports equipment, clothes to gadgets, anything that will make your little bookworm, athlete, future stylist or techie super happy!

The contest is open to all moms and dads with a child who is 5-10 years old, living in the Philippines.

Joining is super easy. To participate:

1. Like the official Facebook Page of Lotte Xylitol 

2. Upload a photo of you and your child showing off your best smiles 

3. Caption your photo with the wish of your child, as creative as you can be and make sure to use the hashtag #MyXylitolWish: (i.e. #MyXylitolWish is to for my daughter to have an iPad Mini) Wish is according to the weekly theme and category. 

4. Get your wishes a chance to be chosen and granted!

Fun right?!

For the full mechanics, like and check out the official Facebook page, of Lotte Xylitol! 

And with that, you are in fact one step closer to having your kid's wish fulfilled!

Lotte Xylitol is a Halloween Treat!

Parents, in this season of Halloween sweets and candies, you might want to be a hero to kids, and the parents in your neighborhood as well, by giving away Lotte Xylitol gum instead!

Unlike sugary treats that can damage the teeth and gums when consumed in excess amounts, Lotte Xylitol is in fact an ideal addition to one’s dental habits. It complements other practices such as visiting the dentist regularly, brushing the teeth, flossing, and gargling with mouthwash.

That's just like handing out a toothbrush for Halloween, except kids will love chewing Lotte Xylitol gum!

Why Xylitol?

Xylitol is a 100% natural sweetener that was first derived from birch trees in the 20th century. Initially discovered and used as a sugar substitute, this sweetener is comparable to table sugar or sucrose—but with only two-thirds the food energy and 75% of the calories. Xylitol is sweeter than sorbitol and is as sweet as sucrose, making it the ideal substitute to cavity-causing sweeteners. 

It is widely known that sweets are bad for the teeth. Xylitol, however, is an exception. Xylitol is predominantly used in dental health products such as dental health candy, dental health drops, and dental health gum. Your best source of Xylitol? Why, Lotte Xylitol gum of course!

Lotte Xylitol & Kiddie Dental Care

2 pellets of Lotte Xylitol a day, keeps cavities at bay

I've got great news for you, chocolate lovers!

Our dentist, Dra. Ichi Duque says, between chocolates and hard candy, chocolate is actually less harmful to teeth enamel. The fats in chocolate coat the teeth so sugar doesn't really get to the teeth directly the way hard candies can. Also, chocolate melts faster and gets washed away easily, whereas sugar in hard candy stays in our mouth longer, allowing bacteria to fester. 

Eeek right?

Of course, I found out the hard way. We were at the dentist's clinic because I had to bring Berry for a filling. Dra. Ichi asked if Berry likes sweets, and if she eats candy. Of course, I said yes to both.

"If Berry has to have her sweets, give her chocolate instead", she told me.  

Well, Berry will not only get chocolate, she gets to chew gum too before she goes to bed. 

Sounds indulgent? Not really. In fact, apart from the welcome news that chocolate > candy, here are some of the surprising things I've learned when it comes to taking care of our children's teeth:

Don't rinse after brushing. Apparently, that's the right way to brush teeth. Spit out the toothpaste and that's it! Just like how it's done in TV commercials and in movies. This is so we get to keep the full benefits of fluoride in our mouth after brushing.

Supervise brushing until the age of 6. It's not enough that kids brush their teeth regularly. Parents have to make sure they are brushing correctly. That they floss before brushing, clean their teeth all the way to the back and that they brush long enough and not just do an obligatory sweep around the mouth.

Chew 2 pellets of Lotte Xylitol gum after each meal. Lotte Xylitol promotes saliva flow in order to maintain healthy pH levels in the mouth, which prevents the demineralization of tooth enamel. It removes food particles that may be left behind, and also helps remove stubborn tartar on teeth surfaces by promoting chewing action. This dental health gum keeps the teeth healthy and strong, prevents plaque and cavity build-up, and is effective in avoiding common dental problems such as bad breath and tooth decay.

Seal it with a Dental Sealant. Our pediatrician, as well as our dentist, recommends protecting kids' teeth from cavities with a sealant. Wish I had done this earlier, so I intend to have this done on Berry's permanent teeth instead. But, ASAP for Xavi. Ask your dentist about it!

Lotte Xylitol is the first dental health gum in the Philippines and the only dental health gum recognized by the Philippine Dental Association. It is sugar-free dental because it contains over 50% xylitol as a sugar substitute. It reduces cavity-causing bacteria that feeds on sugar, and creates acids that dissolve tooth enamel resulting in tooth decay.

Make it Zero Cavities with Lotte Xylitol

Remember that movie Intolerable Cruelty where Miles Massey, George Clooney's character, was super obsessed with his teeth?

Well, if he knew about Lotte Xylitol gum, he'd be chewing them after each meal.

Because when Lotte Xylitol invited me and some of my mommy friends to a talk about their Make it Zero campaign in Makati Shangri-la, I learned so many new things about oral health care that blew me away. 

Lotte Confectionery Philippines GM Soi  Kitaguchi, Dr. Fina Lopez, Therese Reyes BM of Lotte Xylitol & Dr. Angelo Fernandez

That says a lot considering that I am almost as obsessive about my teeth as Miles Massey is about his. I floss after every meal, I brush my teeth and go to the dentist every 6 months. I had braces when I was younger. I've had a teeth whitening procedure done. I wish I wore my retainers as prescribed though. I hated wearing them that well, my teeth moved again and I think, I'd be needing braces again, eeep! So I mean yeah, I have spent a fortune on my teeth making sure they look nice and all. And I'd do anything to make sure they stay that way if not look better.

The same goes for my kids' teeth as well. Berry started going to a pediatric dentist as soon as her milk teeth came out, which was when she was about 8 months old. I am pretty surprised that dentists I've been to here and in Singapore don't believe in professionally cleaning kids' teeth as they do in the US.

But enough about my ramblings, did you know that?

• Current statistics show that 9 out of every 10 Filipino children have cavities and suffer from tooth decay, and that 92.4% of all Filipinos have dental caries. 
• Tooth decay, caused by bacteria known as Streptococcus mutans, can be easily transmitted to others. In fact, infants aged 9 months and below exhibit no signs of this tooth decay-causing bacteria yet, and are first infected by it from their mother at roughly 9 to 13 months of age.
• Bacteria that causes tooth decay may be transferred from parent to child by blowing on hot food, sharing food and sharing utensils (OMG, guilty!)

Apparently, avoiding, sweets, brushing and flossing are not enough to prevent tooth decay.

To improve dental health, it is recommended that we:

• eat a well-balanced diet
• brush teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day (but I'd say, better after every meal)
• floss after brushing
• Of course, Lotte Xylitol says for maximum dental health, both children and adults should also chew on 2 pellets of Lotte Xylitol dental health gum four to five times on a daily basis.

The folks from Lotte Xylitol share that mothers who regularly consume xylitol for a period of two years from the birth of their child were able to greatly reduce the chance of their children getting tooth decay. Two-year old children whose mothers consumed xylitol had up to 70% less tooth decay compared to children whose mothers only used fluoride toothpaste.

What is Xylitol and what makes it special? In a nutshell, it tricks tooth decay causing bacteria into thinking it is fermentable starch, and when bacteria ingests Xylitol, it kills them. Interesting huh? More on the wonders of Xylitol, in future posts, I promise!

But in the meantime, know that Lotte Xylitol gum can help ward off cavities. Because maybe Miles Massey is on to something. That the real intolerable cruelty, is a toothache. 

Lotte Xylitol dental health gum is available in bottles and blister packs, and comes in three exciting flavors: Blueberry Mint, Fresh Mint, and Lime Mint. Buy Lotte Xylitol in leading supermarkets and drugstores across the Philippines. 

For more information, visit http://www.lottexylitolgum.com/. 

About Lotte Xylitol Make It Zero

Make It Zero Program is a program that encourages Filipino parents’ commitment and support to zero cavities. The Make It Zero Program not only aims to increase awareness on oral health through the education of parents, but also to empower them to share this knowledge with their families, and ultimately achieve a cavity-free life for the entire family.

Lotte Xylitol’s Make It Zero Program is a fundamental effort to remind the Filipino family that living a healthy dental lifestyle goes beyond brushing one’s teeth everyday. There are numerous things one can do to achieve proper dental health, and chewing Lotte Xylitol is one of the most effective and enjoyable oral hygiene practices to make part of your daily habit.