Health fads come and go. It’s tempting to believe that all health and wellness trends are good for your overall well-being. While you may lose weight fast on the new Keto diet you’ve started, do you know what it’s doing to your teeth? How about drinking lemon water first thing in the morning? Great for flushing out toxins, but can your pearly whites handle it?

It’s easy to forget about your teeth especially if yours are healthy and have hardly given you much trouble. But, if you like to follow the latest health tips, you need to investigate them thoroughly to ensure they have no detrimental effects on your teeth. 

1. Following the Keto Diet 

Maximising weight loss through the ketogenic diet is a trend that dieters continue to follow. The Keto diet reduces carbohydrates intake while consuming more protein and fats. With less carbs and sugars in your diet, surely your teeth will benefit from less plaque build-up. 

Yes, but there’s one danger of the Keto diet that could cause problems for your teeth and that is ketosis breath. Also known as “keto breath” or “dragon’s breath”, ketosis breath is the result of your body converting fat cells into ketones. Acetone is one of them and it can’t be used by your body as a fuel source. Instead, it’s expelled from your body through your urine and lungs. 

However, it results in acidic breath causing your teeth to erode, resulting in lasting enamel loss. Your teeth will become painful and will no longer look attractive. They’ll also become more sensitive to both temperature and certain foods. 

2. Drinking Lemon Water and Other Citrus Drinks

Starting your day with a glass of warm lemon water is favoured by many health-conscious people. It’s known for giving your digestive system a kickstart, getting it moving without having to eat a large bowl of bran! Drinking lemon water also helps with the following:

• Reduces constipation and heartburn
• Removes toxins and keeps your skin clear
• Freshens your breath

While there are many virtues to drinking lemon water, there is a downside to this healthy practice. Lemons are acidic and overexposing your teeth to acid results in the breakdown of tooth enamel. Your pearly whites could start to look yellow, with cracks and chips developing as well.  

Avoid exposing your teeth to too much citric acid when drinking lemon water or other citrus juices by drinking them through a straw. Drinking other citrus drinks such as orange juice in moderation is advised if you want to protect your teeth.

3. Snacking on Smaller Meals

Another tip many weight-watchers follow is snacking on smaller meals throughout the day. The theory is that it improves your metabolism, satisfies your appetite, and stabilises blood sugar levels. Eating smaller meals more often also increases your energy levels, giving you more zest for life!

But, how good is this eating plan for dental health? Unfortunately, with less breaks between meals, your mouth will struggle to break down the food more efficiently. This results in the build-up of tooth decay and gum disease because of more exposure to bacteria and acid.

Dentists recommend eating three meals a day, brushing your teeth after breakfast and then again after your evening meal. Having longer gaps in between food consumption allows your mouth more time to break down the food, protecting your teeth at the same time. 

4. Replacing Sugar With Honey

Who can blame Winnie the Pooh for saying, “Time for something sweet” when on the hunt for honey! A dollop or two of this sticky sweet treat is a wonderful alternative to sugar or marmalade. There are also many health benefits to eating honey. But, it has its pitfalls when it comes to good dental health. 

Despite being a natural product, honey is sugar. And, sugar is your teeth’s number one enemy! Too much sugar causes plaque build-up, a sticky substance that films your teeth. If not removed with daily brushing and regular visits to the dentist, you run the risk of enamel loss and tooth decay. 

Have your honey but in moderation and rinse your mouth with water after consuming it. Remember to keep up with your daily routine of dental care, brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing regularly. 

5. Drinking Diet or Sugar-Free Sodas

Diet sodas aren’t something new, with TAB being first introduced in 1963 as a way to help people decrease their sugar consumption while losing weight. Almost sixty years later and diet sodas still feature as a “healthy” or “sugar-free” alternative to unhealthy cool drinks. 

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are used to replace natural sugar in drinks such as coke, giving the sweetness you want when drinking sodas. While artificial sweeteners can help to reduce sugar intake, they still cause tooth decay through the softening and breaking down of teeth enamel. This results in cavities causing poor dental health. 

Yes, you’re reducing your sugar intake but the chemical mix used to make diet sodas results in acids. And, this is detrimental for healthy teeth!

6. Regular Juice Cleanses

Another health trend that comes and goes is replacing solid foods with vegetable and fruit juices. Also known as a juice cleanse, this wellness diet is favored for its high nutrient content while helping remove toxins from the body. It’s also a popular choice for weight-watchers who want to lose a pound or two. 

We’re already know how harmful citrus juices can be for your pearly whites. But, here are some other reasons juice cleanses aren’t good for your teeth:

• High sugar content: Fruits are high in natural sugars causing your teeth to rot if too much is consumed. Mouth bacteria also feed on the sugar, causing acid which breaks down the enamel
• Lower saliva production: Juices aren’t chewed reducing saliva production which normally helps to remove food particles from teeth and gums. This will result in tooth decay and gum disease. 

Drinking vegetable and fruit juices with a straw and washing your mouth with water after consumption will offer some tooth and gum protection. 

7. Consuming Apple Cider Viengar

Walk into any health and wellness store and you can’t help but notice the bottles of apple cider vinegar on the shelves. This product has been used for years to detox the body and to help in weight loss. Claims are made that it can stabilise blood sugar levels and boost skin health. 

However, drinking large quantities of apple cider vinegar every day has detrimental effects on your body including your teeth. Vinegars have high acidic content and we’ve already talked about the damaging effects of acid on your teeth! 

Consuming apple cider vinegar will result in the breakdown of enamel, exposing your teeth to wear and tear. You’ll also be left with permanently stained teeth!

Final Thoughts

Every day we’re faced with health and wellness advice, empowering us to take better care of our body. But, sometimes this advice can have side effects such as tooth decay if you’re not aware of them. Before starting a new wellness trend, chat with our team at Shine Dental and make sure your teeth are protected when choosing to follow a health tip!