Diets and their affect on your teeth

Did you know that some diets can affect your teeth? Post lockdown has made most of us think about dieting. But is this having a negative impact on our teeth? What you might not realise about dieting is that it can have quite the impact on your teeth, and not the good kind.

How can diets affect your teeth?

 

When you go on a diet you are very unlikely to think about your teeth. While it’s great the people are becoming more health conscious, we hope that you don’t forego your oral health in the process. Things like eating more fruit can do wonders for your body. However, your teeth might not thank you. With all the acidity and natural sugars in fruit, things like juicing can wage quite the war on our teeth. While we still encourage you with your efforts with dieting, here are some tips to keep your teeth in good shape too!

Smoothies and juicing

Fruit is a vital source of nutrients and fibre. However, the surge in popularity of juicing and smoothies in dieting, promising speedy weight-loss and detoxing, has impacted the nation’s dental health. This leads to a rise in enamel erosion, sensitivity and decay.

Natural sugars can erode tooth enamel and lead to decay. Fruit’s natural sugar, fructose, is a common cause of cavities as the bacteria in the mouth feed on it. By using a straw and keeping your mouth refreshed with regular glasses of water after consumption you can limit the damage. Fruit juices are great, but make sure you get a straw with them too!

Hot water and lemon

A firm favourite for those who like to get up and going in the morning. It’s a popular detox method, with takers claiming to have clearer skin and flatter stomachs. However, the acidity of lemon juice can cause problems with the enamel on teeth. Make sure you’ve got a straw on hand for this tipple as well!

Green Tea

Green tea is packed full of health-boosting antioxidants. It’s calorie and fat-free, so no wonder green tea has become so popular. But, while not as bad as coffee, it can cause staining. Try and drink it straight away without swishing it around your mouth. This should prevent too much contact with your teeth.

Natural sugars can harm your teeth

Dieting and juicing will increase your intake of fruit as we have already covered. Consuming too much natural sugar can also be a factor in poor gum health. Diets that promote a high sugar intake can cause insulin levels to peak and then plummet. Over time this alters the structure of collagen in the body and in the long-term can affect your gums. It’s collagen fibres that hold your teeth in place. If you are juicing, wait at least 30 mins after drinking to brush your teeth. This will limit the damage.

Cutting calories can affect your teeth and your breath!

Following a high-protein/low-carb diet along with calorie cutting can cause bad breath. Chemicals called keytones are released when you force your body into the fat-burning state of ketosis. Good oral hygiene can do wonders for bad breath but you might be fighting a loosing battle with this one.

Ketosis is brought on entirely by your diet and, unfortunately, no amount of flossing and brushing will combat the smell. Think twice before cutting out carbs completely and stick to healthy ones. Healthy carbs such as wholemeal pasta and wholemeal bread will keep bad breath at bay.

We hope if you’re dieting just now or you’re just about to start that this helped you. As always, diet responsibly and healthily!