Hello Nigerians, it is trendy and real. Keto-compliant diet or ketogenic diet which is an effective, tested, confirmed and recent way to lose excess body weight and improve the overall health. Losing weight is most common challenge among individuals in the recent time.

Exercising regularly, diet control have been tried but a recent way is through KETOGENIC DIET which is becoming more popular. It is a kind of restricted and tailored diet that contain principally LOW CARBOHYDRATES (from low starch vegetables, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables), HIGH FATS (high quality plant and animal-based fats) & MODERATE PROTEINS.

Summarily, keto diet work on the principle that your body can change its main source of energy from carbohydrates to fat. Once the body does not get adequate carbohydrates, the system is automatically forced to switch the source of energy/fuel to fat. These provide a new fuel or energy source for your body, and cause most of the unique health benefits of this diet. On a ketogenic diet, your body undergoes many biological adjustments and adaptions, including a reduction in insulin and increased fat breakdown. When this occurs, the liver then starts to produce large amounts of KETONES to act as source of energy supply for your brain. If this dietary habit is sustained for a period of time, KETONES levels in the blood will be raised and one will soon be in KETOSIS.

There is no doubt that what we consume have either benefitting or damaging effects on our teeth and a ketogenic diet is no exception to influencing dental health. These are Seven (7) ways keto-compliant diet affects your teeth. Eat the diet with great relish, shed excess weight and still have your teeth intact.

1. KETO DIET=LOW/NO CARBS– Principally LOW CARBOHYDRATES from low starch vegetables, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables.

• DENTAL EFFECT–NO ACID FORMATION– It has been shown that sugar or sugar containing foods promote disease causing bacteria within the mouth. This is because Carbohydrates serves as substrates for the bacteria to act upon and produce acids which result in dissolution of the teeth substance leading to tooth decay. This means that low carb diets will lead to a much healthier mouth in the long run because it prevents tartar build-up and holes on the teeth.

2. KETO DIET=KETOSIS– It encourages the breakdown of fat stored for energy instead of glucose, a process known as ketosis or dietary ketosis. This process of ketosis signals your body to burn the available fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates that it naturally chooses to burn first. When this occurs, the liver then starts to produce large amounts of KETONES to act as source of energy supply for your brain. If this dietary habit is sustained for a period of time, KETONES levels in the blood will be raised and one will soon be in

• BAD BREATH AT EARLY STAGE– Restricted carbohydrate intake also may have a negative effect on the oral cavity. While ketosis provides the benefit of rapid weight loss, it also leads to halitosis (chronic bad breath) or fruity-smelling breath. The breakdown of fats by enzymes results in three different smaller units called ketones, acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate. The last two (acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate) can be used to generate energy by most tissues in the body. The third ketone, acetone, cannot be used by the body and is excreted in the urine and exhaled by the lungs, causing halitosis (bad breath). While the resulting chronic bad breath causes no harm to your oral health, it can be especially annoying when you’re in close contacts with others. This breath is actually a positive sign for your diet though it may affect your social interaction. Many ketogenic dieters brush their teeth several times per day, or use sugar-free gum or sucking on mints that contain xylitol to solve the issue.

Fear not, all you need do is to drink plenty of water which will help to weaken the stench by diluting the concentration of the fruity smell. You can also mask the smell with chewing of sugarless gum e.g. orbit, Mentos & xylitol. Perhaps, your halitosis is too difficult to manage, the best option for you would have to increase your carbohydrate intake and exiting the state of ketosis may be.

3. KETO DIET= WATER + LEMON- It is often advised that wateris simply the base of what you should drink on a keto diet (or any other diet).  If you would like some taste when drinking your water you can add a few drops of lemon.

• DENTAL EFFECT- TEETH SENSITIVITY– Plain water is very good to the teeth. A squeeze of lemon or lime can turn a simple glass of water into a fun beverage, however it is not always the best choice for your mouth. Lemon is acidic and it can make the teeth to become sensitive over time.

4. KETO DIET=COFFEE AND TEA– you can drink as much coffee and tea as you want on a keto diet. Coffee contains a very small amount of carbohydrate. It is so small so you do not really need to worry about it. Tea usually contains no carbohydrate at all. There is however some types of tea that contains some carbohydrates so try to check it before you have some.

• DENTAL EFFECT-TEETH DISCOLOURATION– Tea and coffee frequent consumption often cause generalised dark or brown stains called extrinsic/ external teeth discolouration.

5. KETO=NO FRUIT JUICE- Juice and fruit juice should be avoided as they both contain high levels of carbohydrates. The carbs in juice mainly come in the form of fructose. There are some juices that claim they are low on carbohydrates. You should also avoid all these juices since in all of these cases they have added on other sweeteners which still are not good for you.

• DENTAL EFFECT-ACID FORMATION– The truth is that frequent exposures to acidic foods can erode enamel, making teeth more susceptible to decay over time. Citric fruits and juices can also initiate mouth sores. Try as much as possible to make drinkable water your best option.

6. KETO=NO ALCOHOL INTAKE- Alcohol is not recommended if you are on a keto diet. Beer for example contains a lot of maltose, which is quickly absorbed by the body and 20-40% of the energy comes from carbohydrates

• DENTAL EFFECT – Alcohol causes dehydration and dry mouth. People who drink excessively may experience reduction in saliva flow over time, which can predispose the teeth to decay and other dental diseases such as gum disease. Heavy alcohol use also increases your risk for mouth cancer and this also work in synergy among tobacco smokers to cause oral diseases

7. KETO= MODERATE PROTEIN, NO INDISCRIMINATE EATING OF JUNK FOODS– It suppresses the appetite because people will feel full once they eat an adequate amount of protein in their diets.

• DENTAL EFFECTS– When you limit the quantity of snacks you eat after main meal, it helps a lot, and if you must snack, you choose fruit or vegetables and plain water. Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth because more saliva is released during that period as compared to those taken in-between meal throughout the day. Saliva performs cleansing function in the mouth and lessens the effects of acids which dissolves the teeth

In summary, it is worthy of note to say not everyone who goes on a keto diet stays there. Many do it as a shorter term diet plan to burn excess fat and when they get down to a normal weight, they increase their carbs allowance. Also, you can take a good quality whole food supplement during your time in ketosis if it’s a real concern and theoretically, when shrinking your waistline, there should be a reduction in the occurrence of tooth decay/ holes on the teeth. When carbs are out rightly restricted or removed from a daily meal, an essential factor for the development of tooth decay is limited.

If the above points are taken into considerations, there would be NO/ LOW VISITS TO THE DENTIST as you kill two birds with a stone

Dental Channel NG is a website created mainly for Nigerians- patients, clients, consumers of dental products and services and dentists alike and contains all aspects of Dentistry. Dental Channel NG is an educative site where one can learn everything pertaining to dental care and services as Nigerians. It is one place for Dentists in all cadres to showcase dental practice, Suppliers and Manufacturers of dental instruments and equipment to publish products review, and dental products companies and vendors meet needs of  Nigeria consumers at large.