Company Description

Overview. Xlear Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in American Fork, UT, and founded in 2000. Xlear Inc. is the leading manufacturer of xylitol products, and one of the largest U.S. importers of xylitol. Xlear Inc. is committed to providing consumers with the health benefits of xylitol by manufacturing natural, health-enhancing products based on the sweetener found in wood, fruits and vegetables.

Xlear Inc. manufactures and distributes Xlear Sinus Spray^®, a patented nasal spray, through pharmacies and natural food stores across the country. Xlear Inc. also developed a complete line of dental health products called the Spry Dental Defense System®, which brings the anti-adhesive qualities of xylitol into the fight against dental issues. Xlear Inc. also distributes XyloSweet^®, a xylitol powder used as a sugar substitute in cooking, baking and general consumption; and Fine & Dandy Candy, a growing line of healthy, xylitol-based candies.

History. A few years before Xlear Inc. was founded, physician Dr. Lon Jones was treating his granddaughter for a persistent ear infection and conducting extensive research on antibiotic immunities and alternative antibacterial treatments. His studies led him to a large volume of research done in Finland about the beneficial effects of xylitol chewing gum on upper respiratory infections in children.

Dr. Jones mixed xylitol into a mild saline solution and administered it to his granddaughter in a nasal spray. Within hours, her condition improved and the infection cleared in only a few days. He began dispensing this solution to other patients with ear, nose and throat infections, and the results were astounding. In 2000, Nathan Jones, Dr. Jones’ son, founded Xlear Inc. to make the nasal spray commercially available. Since then, the company has expanded its research, product development and distribution of xylitol-based products.

What is Xylitol? Xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar. It is a naturally occurring five-carbon sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables and produced in small amounts by the human body. For commercial use, it is manufactured from xylan hemicellulose sources such as birch trees, cane bagasse and corn cobs/stalks. It is the sweetest of the polyols with the same sweetness as sugar (sucrose), but with 40% fewer calories and none of the negative tooth decay or insulin release effects of sugar.

Classified on nutrition labels as a carbohydrate, xylitol has been used in foods since the 1960s and is approved in the United States as a food additive in unlimited quantity for foods with special dietary purposes and is safe for use by those with diabetes or hypoglycemia.

More than 25 years of clinical testing confirms that without question xylitol is the best sweetener for teeth. Regular use of xylitol has shown to reduce instances of tooth decay by up to 80%. Sugar-free chewing gums and candies made with xylitol have already received official endorsements from six national dental associations.

Benefits of Xylitol:

• Reduces the ability of bacteria to adhere to teeth and upper respiratory tissues resulting in a reduction in tooth decay and lessening the occurrence of ear and sinus infections;
• May reduce the risk of tooth decay;
• Facilitates the remineralization of tooth enamel;
• Increases saliva production and relieves dry mouth;
• Provides an alternative sweetener for people who suffer from diabetes and hypoglycemia because of its very low effect on blood sugar levels;
• Contains 40% fewer calories than sugar and can be used as part of many of today’s popular diets; and
• Can be used for baking and sweetening many foods that are consumed on a daily basis.

Major Products

Xlear Sinus Care Line^®. When used as part of daily hygiene, Xlear’s Sinus Care Line^® with xylitol and saline nasal solution not only hydrates the sinuses, but it also helps the body rinse away infection-causing bacteria. Daily use will never damage tissues or result in antibiotic resistance.

Thousands of Americans use Xlear daily and the results are convincing. Pediatricians and ENT physicians across the United States are now recommending Xlear to their patients to soothe the irritation and discomfort from persistent sinusitis or other ear, nose and throat issues.

Spry Dental Defense System® (gum, mints, toothpaste, mouthwash, oral rinse, oral mist spray). In 2003, Xlear Inc. introduced a complete line of oral health improving products that take advantage of xylitol’s unique capability to combine anti-adhesive action with great taste. Xlear Inc.’s line of Spry Dental Defense^® products includes toothpaste, oral rinse, chewing gum, mints, oral mist spray, floss and tooth gel. Studies have repeatedly shown that the incorporation of xylitol-rich products into one’s daily routine has substantial oral health benefits. Spry products provide a rich source of xylitol that may help reduce the risk of tooth decay while improving overall oral health.

Substituting current oral care products with Spry’s xylitol-rich products and incorporating Spry chewing gum and mints into daily routines will ensure that consumers are receiving effective amounts of oral xylitol. We encourage everyone to “Strive for 5” applications of xylitol each day.

XyloSweet® (pure xylitol, sugar replacement). XyloSweet^® is pure xylitol, which has no equal as a dietary sweetener or as a food additive. XyloSweet^® is as sweet as sugar, has no aftertaste, and contains 40% fewer calories than regular sugar. Because xylitol looks, acts and behaves like sugar, it can be used for everyday sweetening, cooking and baking applications. Xylitol should be consumed in gradually increasing portions to allow for a brief tolerance adjustment period as different people react differently when xylitol is consumed in large quantities. Xylitol is 100% natural and has been found to be extremely safe. The FDA and the World Health Organization have given xylitol their highest rating for food additives.

Fine & Dandy Candy^®. Fine & Dandy Candy^® is a sugar-free, candy line sweetened exclusively with natural xylitol. The first product to be released under Xlear’s new brand is SparX®, which are tiny bite-size candies available in three variety tubes, berry, citrus and fruit. Each 30-gram tube contains four all-natural flavors and features all of the taste of sugar-sweetened candy without the harmful effects of sugar and without any aftertaste. SparX^® is safe for children and adults.

• The Berry tube contains Blueberry, Raspberry and Strawberry flavors.
• The Citrus tube contains Lime, Orange and Tangerine flavors.
• The Fruit tube contains Apple, Banana, and Grape flavors.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, July 2014