Grains, Carbs and Oral Health

 If you’ve decided to hop on the low-carb or ketogenic diet bandwagon to take control of your health and your weight, congratulations! Eating a diet low in carbohydrates is not just good for your waistline, but it can also help in many other ways, including lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes and lowering your cholesterol. But while those health benefits are well known, or at least frequently discussed, many people don’t know what effect keto diets – or carbohydrates, for that matter – have on their oral health.

Carbs and Teeth

The first thing you need to know about carbohydrates and your teeth is that the more processed the carbs, the more dangerous they are. That’s because processed carbs are easier to break down into sugar, which loves to stick around on your teeth and become that sticky biofilm that feeds s. mutans bacteria – the bacteria that creates cavities. As far as your diet and your teeth go, processed carbohydrates (sugars, bleached flours) are the worst for your body’s health as well as for your oral health.

Whole Grains

A recent study by the World Health Organization shows that whole grains are a better option for protecting teeth against cavities than a diet that’s high in processed carbohydrates. That’s because it is more difficult for the saliva to break down whole grains into sugars, better protecting the teeth from cavities.

No-Carb and Ketogenic

One common thing people on ketogenic diets notice is that the diet can alter your breath - and usually not in a good way. The good news is that this is totally normal and can be combated by sugarless gum, upping your intake of water, flossing after each meal or drinking tea with cloves, cinnamon or other spices. "Keto breath" aside, ketogenic diets are beneficial to oral health by generating less fuel for s. mutans bacteria, and by helping to reduce inflammation, which can cause or contribute to periodontal disease.

Ultimately when it comes to your oral health or your overall health, the data doesn’t lie: the fewer the processed carbs, the better.

If you have any questions or concerns about how your diet could be affecting your oral health, give Dr. Lederman a call at 516-882-1764.

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