Erythritol's roles in oral and body health
What it found
In people, erythritol reduced plaque, plaque acids, and mouth bacteria, and did not raise blood sugar or insulin.
It is absorbed from the small intestine and passed out unchanged in urine.
What they found
Studies in people
Dental plaque and acids
Oral health studies found erythritol reduced dental plaque weight and plaque acids. It also reduced the number of mutans streptococci in saliva and dental plaque.
Tooth decay and fillings
Erythritol reduced the risk for dental caries better than sorbitol and xylitol. This led to fewer tooth restorations done by a dentist.
How the body handles it
Unlike other polyols, erythritol is readily absorbed from the small intestine. It is not broken down in the body and is passed out unchanged in urine.
Calories and blood sugar
This metabolic profile makes erythritol noncaloric and well tolerated by the gut. It does not increase blood glucose or insulin levels.
Antioxidant and blood vessels
Published evidence shows erythritol can act as an antioxidant. It may improve endothelial function in people with type 2 diabetes.
What the authors conclude
“This article reviews the key research demonstrating erythritol's oral and systemic health functionalities and underlying mechanisms.”
Also in their conclusions
- They state that erythritol can play a number of functional roles to actively support maintenance of oral and systemic health.
- They note that erythritol can reduce dental plaque weight, reduce dental plaque acids, reduce counts of mutans streptococci in saliva and dental plaque, and reduce the risk for dental caries better than sorbitol and xylitol.
- They report that erythritol is noncaloric, has a high gastrointestinal tolerance, and does not increase blood glucose or insulin levels.
How it was done
Polyols have been used for about 80 years to replace sugar in sweet foods, to reduce tooth enamel loss and to lower blood sugar after meals. New evidence suggests erythritol may do more than simply stand in for sugar.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of published studies, not a single new experiment.
- It cannot show how much erythritol a person would need to eat or drink to get these effects.
- It cannot show whether these effects last over many years.
The paper
- Title
- Erythritol Functional Roles in Oral-Systemic Health
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- de Cock P (2018). Erythritol Functional Roles in Oral-Systemic Health. Advances in dental research. doi:10.1177/0022034517736499PubMed 29355425DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error