Sometimes small changes in our health routines can have a big impact in our biochemistry and metabolism. An alert doctor thought that artificial sweeteners might be responsible for lower HDL cholesterol. This link is not well known, but the patient found that avoiding the artificial sweetener rectified the problem.
Q. Two years ago my doctor said my good cholesterol was too low and asked if I was using artificial sweeteners in sodas. I wasn’t drinking any sodas, but the next two checkups showed the same cholesterol counts. She insisted I must be using artificial sweeteners and urged me to check everything I put in my body.
I found artificial sweetener in a medicine the dentist had prescribed for me to treat a common dental condition. I swished and brushed with this blue liquid every morning and night.
I told my dentist and she recommended using tea tree oil toothpaste instead. After six months my good cholesterol count is going up, and my dentist can’t believe that the tea tree oil has done more for my mouth than the original medicine.
Linking Low HDL Cholesterol and Artificial Sweetener
A. We weren’t familiar with the association your doctor uncovered between low HDL (good) cholesterol and artificial sweeteners. When we looked for research, however, we found a study showing that artificial sweeteners can disrupt the beneficial function of HDL cholesterol (Molecules and Cells, May, 2011).
Tea tree oil comes from the Australian tree Melaleuca alternifolia. It has antimicrobial effects that can be helpful in the mouth (American Journal of Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Feb. 2014).
It is worth remembering, though, that many people may develop allergic reactions to tea tree oil, so if mouth sores or a rash in or around the mouth crop up, you may need to look for a still different approach to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
