Yes. Intense sweeteners (such as stevia leaf extract) are tooth-friendly because they do not produce acids that eat away at teeth, as noted by The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Stevia leaf extract is an intense sweetener because it has many times the sweetness of sugar, compared by weight. EFSA has noted that intense sweeteners respond differently than sugar to the conditions in the mouth because they have a different chemical structure than sugar.
Everyone’s mouth has bacteria of many kinds. Sugars that come into contact with oral bacteria tend to ferment. As sugar ferments, it splits into different components. One of those components is lactic acid, which eats tooth enamel. Over time that lactic acid can cause erosion and cavities.
Intense sweeteners such as stevia leaf extract, on the other hand, are not able to ferment when in contact with oral bacteria. Because it does not ferment, stevia leaf extract does not produce the lactic acid that causes cavities and tooth decay. EFSA states that “maintaining tooth mineralisation by reducing tooth demineralisation resulting from acid production in plaque caused by the fermentation of carbohydrates is a beneficial physiological effect…,” demonstrating that intense sweeteners like stevia leaf extract are indeed friendly to dental health.
