If we told you eating a few gummy bears after every meal could cut down on cavities, you probably wouldn’t believe it.But you might believe the recent findings of a study out of the University of Washington.

Researchers working with a small group of elementary school students, ran a test with gummy bears made with xylitol and malitol, the sugar substitutes often used in sugarless gum. They tested the kids’ mouths for plaque and bacteria, then gave them 4 gummy bears three times to day, to see if chewing the sweet treats could help prevent cavities.

After six weeks, the children who chewed on the sugar-substitute bears had significantly less cavity-causing bacteria in their mouths.

Yes, fewer cavities is something to cheer about. But let’s hope that these findings serve more as springboard to learn what’s needed to reduce cavities.

Manufacturers of sugarless gum already promote their products as a way to reduce post-meal plaque. And while gummi bears worked well for a study (because kids like them), would we ever want to maufacture dental gummis?

Would kids really be able to tell the difference between a “healthy” gummi bear and other chewy candies that taste just as good? Will it teach them that eating candy after a meal is a good thing? Will they think that brushing their teeth is even more of a silly and inconvenient ritual?

Because what I’d like to know, is if kids simply brushed three times a day, would we see the same positive results?

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