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Does Dieting Affect Your Teeth and Gums?

Does Dieting Affect Your Teeth and Gums?

Your teeth and gums are affected when you embark on a weight loss program. Although the diets that your dentist in Pasadena is going to talk about may reduce your waistline, they can cause serious problems for your teeth and gums. Below are some diets that could cause problems for your teeth and gums.

Low Fat Diet

Embarking on a diet that is low in fat interferes with fat-soluble vitamin absorption. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are vital for oral health as they help you absorb much needed calcium. If your body isn’t able to absorb calcium, bones and teeth will begin to break down.

Dopamine is also produced by your brain when you consume fat and helps your mood. A diet that is low in omega-3 fats also causes an increase in anxiety and stress. According to Dr. Paul Shinto and his team of Pasadena dentists, stress could cause teeth grinding and problems with your TMJ.

Ketogenic Diets and Low Carb Diets

If you have been following a low carb or no carb diet, your breath will begin to smell like acetone or nail polish remover. Sometimes it can smell like rotten fruit. If this is the case, your body is in ketosis and burning fat, not carbs, for fuel.

Get rid of Keto breath by chewing on mint and parsley. The best way to get rid of bad breath is to start eating carbs again. Without carbs, your body may begin to burn muscle, not fat.

Diets Low in Calories

Cutting calories will help you lose weight, but reducing your intake of food can also cause problems for your overall health as you are depleting your body of vitamins and minerals. Malnutrition can cause the enamel on your teeth to soften and even weaken your jawbone causing eventual tooth loss.

Fruit Detox Diet

Although it may seem perfectly ok to live on fruit for a week or two, having such a sparse diet will affect your teeth and gums and your body. Besides malnutrition, the acid and sugar in most fruits will damage the enamel. This leaves you vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease.

Be mindful of your teeth and gums and talk to your Pasadena dentist about a good diet for teeth and gums. Call for an appointment today.