The Relevance of the Keto Diet in Dental Health – Be Health Confident!

The Relevance of the Keto Diet in Dental Health – Be Health Confident!
The Relevance of the Keto Diet in Dental Health – Be Health Confident! Image source: Pixabay

Science has revealed the relationship between physical activities and diet to our overall health. Recent statistics suggest that the leading cause of death is diet-related illnesses. Thus, people have become more conscious of their body frame and weight.

People have become more aware of their health status. There are people who lose weight by constantly involving themselves in physical activities and some went to the extent of changing their dietary plans– while some do both.

Have you heard some dietary regimen people take to lose weight? Keto diet is one of them, and it is a popular diet to lose weight. People who are keen on having white teeth ask whether keto diet has an impact on dental health. What is the relevance of the keto diet in dental health?

Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet (keto diet) deals with meals that contain low carbohydrates, high fat, and moderate proteins. A low carbohydrate diet forces your body to be in a metabolic stage, known as ketosis. In ketosis, the liver produces ketones to compensate for the lack of sugar to be utilized as energy.

Aside from weight loss, the keto diet brings several benefits to its devotee. The benefits include:

  • Decreases triglyceride level
  • Increases HDL cholesterol level
  • Decreases high blood pressure
  • Decreases appetite
  • Improves Type 2-diabetes
  • Therapeutic for some metabolic syndromes and brain disorders

Change in your appearance is not the only benefit you get with the keto diet. It can help your treatments with severe diseases, like cancer, diabetes, and epilepsy. Moreover, the ketogenic diet has relevance in dental health.

Keto Diet and Dental Health

The ketogenic diet does not only decrease your weight, helps alleviate your diet-related illness, but it also improves your dental health. As ketogenic is a high-fight diet, it boosts our dental health.

Reduced Sugar Consumption

Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars when chewed inside the mouth. These simple starches will ferment inside the mouth and form plaques and tartars on teeth. But, these plaque and tartar build-ups come to halt with the keto diet.

Lesser carbohydrate consumption leads to a lesser amount of sugar that lingers around the teeth after meals. The harmful bacteria starve leading to little to no production of acid. The acid causes tooth demineralization and may harm our teeth, but with a keto diet, there is little to no risk.

Supports Healthy Oral Microbiome

In our mouth, there is a normal microbiome that balances and maintains our oral health. The keto diet promotes prebiotic foods which help on the growth of bacteria and maintains its healthy function in the body. Unlike the conventional diet, excessive carbohydrate consumption feeds the pathogenic bacteria inside the mouth.

Fights Against Teeth Cavities

As the keto diet promotes eating whole unprocessed foods and cutting carbohydrate intake, the overall oral health is better. The ketogenic diet encourages you to eat foods high in Vitamin K2 which helps in the formation of new enamels and in the prevention of cavities. Thus, going on a keto diet enhances teeth mineralization, growth of normal microbiome, and stops acid erosion on teeth.

Obviously, tooth decay does not stand a chance with people who observe the keto diet.

Reduction of Gum Inflammation

Some people do not know that diet has a great impact in healing gum disease. The keto diet is an excellent example to reduce gum inflammation that may lead to gingivitis or other gum diseases. A ketogenic diet includes food that is high in Omega 3. Omega 3 has an important role in reducing inflammation and gum disease.

Indeed, the keto diet has great relevance in dental health. But, aside from all the good news, a ketogenic diet adapts bad breath. It is most likely caused by the ketone production that fuels the brain and muscles. However, you should not worry much about it. You can prevent keto breath with simple oral care habits.

Dental Habits to Prevent Keto Breath

The ketogenic diet is a measure to improve our overall health and well-being. But, it needs some minor tweaks and maintenance to have white teeth with good breath. Follow these dental habits to prevent adopting keto breath.

Drink plenty of water

As the keto diet halts your appetite and encourages you to eat less, there will be higher chances of having a dry mouth. Drinking water regularly prevents bacteria buildup. Moreover, being hydrated gives you more energy. Especially if you are still new on the ketogenic diet.

Slow Diet Transition

Gradually make a diet transition. Do not jump all into a ketogenic diet. It is best to give your body some time to adjust to the dietary changes, this will help your body not to release a tantamount of ketones at once. A slow diet transition will give yourself some time to adapt to the new diet regimen, which may help you by-pass keto breath.

Good Routine for Oral Hygiene

Nothing beats the oral hygiene routine. When you are on a keto diet, it is recommended to brush every meal to moisten your mouth. Also, floss and alcohol-free mouthwash are suggested. Mouthwash that contains alcohol has a drying effect, so it is better to avoid those.

Also, if your gums are sensitive, use toothpaste that is fit for your needs. Fortunately, toothpaste removes plaque buildup and freshens breath. You can say that the toothpaste is reliable in providing good oral hygiene through the toothpaste manufacturing process it underwent.

Conclusion

Overall, the ketogenic diet is best for our health and well-being. The dietary transition may require a lot of patience and dedication. Moreover, the ketogenic diet has great relevance to our dental health. Although, we may adapt bad breath from excessive ketone production. But, with the right oral hygiene routine and slow transition, you may by-pass the keto breath.