Belgian chocolate makers Daskalidès and Chocolaterie Smet have introduced what they say are the first-ever "toothfriendly" chocolate products, according to a press release.
Toothfriendly chocolate is an innovation courtesy of Barry Callebaut, a producer of cocoa and chocolate. According to the chocolate makers, the secret lies in the chocolate's production process and composition. Milk powder, for instance, is replaced by milk proteins and sugar by isomaltulose, a natural sugar which can be found in small concentrations in honey and sugar cane. Isomaltulose belongs to the sugar group and, just like refined sugar, is composed of glucose and fructose.
Isomaltulose differs, however, in its resistance to decomposition by oral bacteria, and therefore does not cause an increase in acidity in the mouth, thus protecting the teeth from decay, according to the companies. It is only when acidity levels are high and the corresponding pH level drops below 5.7 that there is a risk of forming dental caries.
But Daskalidès and Chocolaterie Smet say the pH level in the mouth remains above this level during and after consumption of the toothfriendly chocolate.
In fact, the chocolate has received the prestigious "Happy Tooth" label from Toothfriendly International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving dental health that is supported by dental associations from all over the world, according to the press release.
"We only give the Happy Tooth seal of approval to products that are guaranteed safe for teeth," Albert Bär, director of Toothfriendly International, said in the release. "All sweets that carry this logo have been scientifically tested by recognized and independent academic institutes for dental health. Their tests demonstrate that the product does not cause dental caries or tooth decay."
