How Keto Diet Affects Your Oral Health?

Keto diets have grown to be
immensely popular as they have helped numerous individuals lose weight by
changing their diet. Keto diets aim to cut out carbohydrates and sugars from an
individual’s diet and places more focus on eating foods such as meat, leafy
vegetables, etc. In this, the supply of glucose in the body reduces. Thus, when
the presence of glucose reduces, the body switches to burning fat in the body
instead, which causes the individual to lose weight. This procedure is commonly
referred to as ‘ketosis.’ While ketosis can bring you the weight loss you
desire, it also affects other aspects of your body, such as your oral health.
Thus, this article will highlight how a keto diet affects your oral health.

One of the major, and more
undesirable, ways that keto diets can affect your oral health is by altering
the smell of your breath. ‘Keto breath’ is a common term that refers to the
sickly sweet smell that comes from this particular diet; when mixed with
bacteria in the mouth, this results in an even more unpleasant odor. But why
does this happen? As mentioned earlier, the change in diet causes the body to
begin breaking down fats for energy. Three types of ketones arise from this
process, and one of these is a ketone called acetone. The body doesn’t use
particular ketone for the production of energy, and it is thus expelled through
the urine and the lungs. It is what gives the breath this distinct smell.

On the other hand, the reduction
in sugar intake can mean immense improvement in oral health. Sugary foods are
one of the primary causes of cavities as they provide the nutrients required
for bacteria to grow and thrive. When bacteria decay sugars and high carb
foods, they produce acids that cause demineralization of the teeth. It can
significantly reduce the mineral content in the teeth and hence cause easier
erosion of the enamel. In this way, it makes the teeth more susceptible to
cavities, which occurs less with a low carb diet. Thus, a keto diet can help
you significantly reduce the risk of cavities.

Apart from reducing the build-up
of bacteria, keto diets also help to decrease the amount of phytic acid in the
body. This acid is responsible for the absorption of minerals and occurs in
higher quantities in foods rich in carbohydrates. Thus, it too contributes to
the reduction of the mineral content of the teeth which can, in turn, affect
the whiteness of your teeth and hence your smile. Thus, keto diets help reduce
this issue as well and thus improves your smile.

Apart from cavities, the switch
to a diet that is low in carbohydrates can also help reduce the presence of
inflammation, gingivitis, etc. It is because the incorporation and increased
intake of foods like leafy vegetables can provide you with nutrients your body
may lack. Hence improving its overall functioning.

Thus, while keto diets can
positively impact your oral health, you do not want to be walking around with
keto breath. The following are some easy ways by which you can improve this and
hence experience only the positive benefits:

Most often, bad breath occurs
because of the reduction in the movement of saliva in the mouth. Keto diets may
also affect this and hence taking regular sips of water and reducing
dehydrating activities, stress levels, etc. can improve the smell of your breath.
Apart from this, you could also try adding some herbs, such as clove, cinnamon,
etc.

Keto diets alone cannot provide
you with immaculate oral health. Thus, you must continue practices, such as
brushing, flossing, and other oral practices to ensure that your oral health remains
in its best condition.

Using gum or mint to reduce lousy
breath temporarily is a common practice that many people follow. Substances in
the gum or mint counter’s the smell, and these activities also stimulate the
production of saliva, which acts as a natural mouth freshener.

When it comes to changing diet,
exercise, or sleep patterns in the body, it is crucial that you gradually make
the switch. It means that instead of immediately switching from high carb to
low carbs, you should make minor switches in food before completely cutting it
out. It can help your body get adequate time to adjust and hence can help
reduce imbalances, etc.

In conclusion, there are many
ways in which keto diets can have a positive effect on your oral health. Apart
from reducing cavities and inflammation, it can greatly improve the whitened
appearance of your teeth. While bad breath is an issue no one wishes to have,
you could follow simple remedies to fix this. However, sometimes the bad breath
may arise due to other more severe issues and hence should not be ignored. Oral
health is a vital indicator of your body’s overall well-being and hence you
must pay close attention to it. In case you think the diet may be affecting
something else or has allowed an issue to become clearer, then it is highly
advised that you visit a local practitioner who is expertise in sedation
dentistry to ensure that you are in perfect health.