Xylitol is a sugar alcohol naturally found in plants that is used as an artificial sweetener in
many foods. [32] Its anticariogenic properties were investigated by adding 0.78–50% xylitol to broth cultures of S. mutans, S. saliviarius and S. sanguis, incubating at 37° C for 18 hrs and determining the optical density of the cultures. Streptococcus mutans was the only bacterium significantly inhibited by xylitol at 1.56%, while all bacteria showed statistically significant inhibition at levels above 1.56%. The study concluded that xylitol exhibited anticariogenic effects by inhibiting the growth of S. mutans while not affecting other streptococci as part of the normal oral flora