"Alcohol-free mouthwashes" and xylitol

 I noticed that many mouthwashes which state they are "alcohol-free", use xylitol in replacement. So, xylitol seems to be a kind of "sugar alcohol". Any idea what makes it so different from "alcohol"?

The chemical formula for xylitol is C₅H₁₂O₅ so you can see it is very similar to other simple sugars like glucose and fructose C₆H₁₂O₆. But unlike glucose and fructose the sugar alcohols also have hydroxyl groups that give them an alcohol structure as well. 

Xylitol also has different properties than glucose and fructose such as antibiotic properties and yielding less calories/energy. If you ever taste xylitol it also has a cooling effect in the mouth. Although it can also cause a lot of bloating and diarrhea if you consume too much.

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