Diet trends come and go, but they can have a lasting negative effect on your oral health. Your teeth and gums depend on what you’re eating to provide them with enough nutrients to stay healthy while keeping your oral environment safe and non-toxic. While there are few doubts that good nutrition immensely benefits your pearly whites, following some diet trends can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, and oral infections. Here are some dieting trends that can hurt your dental health in the long run.
The Keto Diet
The keto diet has seen a lot of popularity in recent years. This regimen eschews most good and bad carbohydrates for a diet full of protein and fat in hopes of putting the body in a state of ketosis, which allows it to survive during periods of low food intake. The logic here is that, rather than burning carbs that can be quickly replaced during the next meal, the body will burn fat instead, leading to a slimmer figure.
However, the body in ketosis will release ketones as it burns fat instead of carbohydrates, causing the breath to smell like nail polish remover. Bad breath will easily cancel out all the social benefit that comes with reducing your tooth decay by cutting out sugar.
Juice Cleanses
While juice might sound healthy, the fact is that it has all of the sugar and almost none of the nutrients and fiber that you get from whole fruits and vegetables. People might use juice cleanses to detoxify their digestive systems, but they can also deprive the body of the material it needs to keep its hair, nails, skin, and teeth healthy. Excessive juice consumption can also harm teeth because:
- Juice tends to be high in acid which can erode your enamel and leave you more vulnerable to cavities.
- Juice is full of sugar, so that sticky residue it leaves on your teeth can allow bacteria to multiply and cause infections and tooth decay.
- A low-calorie diet can affect insulin levels in the body, which can put you at a greater risk of tooth loss by weakening the natural collagen holding your teeth in place.
Raw Food Diets
To avoid preservatives and other artificial chemicals, many people turn to raw food diets composed chiefly of raw fruit, nuts, and seeds. Unfortunately, excessive fruit consumption can lead to tooth decay due to high levels of acid. Similarly, nuts and seeds can get stuck between the teeth, providing a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause tooth decay.
While strict dieting can lead to negative health consequences, following these trends in moderation while taking care to eat a balanced diet with proper oral hygiene can have real long-lasting health benefits. Staying aware of what you eat and how it works in your body can keep you and your teeth healthy for a lifetime.
About the Practice
Epic Family Dentistry of Carrollton brings the best of everything to dental care in Carrollton, TX. Led by Drs. Afshin Azmoodeh and Sohee Kim, the dedicated staff provides patients with one-on-one attention using the latest techniques and technology. Services include preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. If you’d like to know more about what your diet can do for your dental health, contact the office online or dial (972) 820-7294.