Author: Lizzie Smith – blog last updated on Saturday 6th January 2024
If you’re dieting or fasting, you may experience bad breath. In this article, we’ll look at why that is and what you can do to keep your breath as fresh as possible during a diet or fast.
Low-carb diets
A low-carb diet is an effective way to lose weight without going hungry. You can’t do without carbohydrates completely; you can find them in vegetables, fruit and legumes. But the main point is to eat less bread, potatoes, pasta and other pasta. So, you can get your carbohydrates from these healthier options instead of foods such as white bread, pizzas and sweets. Prevention is better than cure, but low-carbohydrate diets are often also part of the treatment for diabetes (type 2 diabetes). In low-carb diets, carbohydrates are usually replaced with protein to keep you from feeling hungry.
The body uses carbohydrates as a source of energy. The metabolism switches to burning fat if there are few or no carbohydrates. The liver fat does this to meet the body’s energy needs. It puts the metabolism into a state of ketosis, also called the “metabolic switch”.
Ketones are produced during the process of fat burning. These molecules, like carbohydrates, can be used as energy for body processes.
There are different ketones. First, acetoacetate is released and converted into acetone or beta-hydroxybutyrate. Acetone is a byproduct of acetoacetate, which leaves the body through urine and breathing. This explains the bad breath, specifically the acetone smell, in people who lose weight through a low-carb diet.
Ketogenic diet
Burning fat without having to go hungry makes low-carb, high-protein diets so successful. There are different forms of these types of diet, with the ketogenic or keto being the most extreme. You eat a maximum of 50 grams of carbohydrates daily for a certain period. This isn’t possible continuously, and a doctor or dietician should properly supervise it because 50 grams of carbohydrates is tiny.
The fewer carbohydrates you eat, the faster you’ll lose weight. However, keep in mind that this may result in bad breath.
What can you do to keep your breath as fresh as possible?
Tip 1: Drink plenty of water
First, it’s good to drink a lot of water during a diet, especially a low-carb diet. You do not have to exhale all the ketones you excrete with your urine.
Tip 2: Maintain good oral hygiene
Good oral hygiene is essential for everyone, but especially if you’re dieting. Be sure to pay particular attention to the ingredients of your toothpaste and mouthwash. Not all regular products are suitable for the natural balance of the oral flora in the long run. So, it’s better to avoid aggressive ingredients such as alcohol, triclosan, chlorhexidine and SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate).
Mouth-friendly toothpastes and mouthwashes are effective without disrupting the balance of your oral flora. This also ensures clean teeth, healthy gums and fresh breath in the long term.
The RyttPro Fresh Breath Kit is a complete package for fresh breath. It contains toothpaste, mouthwash, mouth spray and a tongue cleaner. This gives you everything you need to care for your mouth and freshen your breath while following your low-carb or keto diet.
RyttPro toothpaste, mouthwash and mouth spray fight harmful oral bacteria through the OZ-3X formula. This powerful yet safe and mouth-friendly formula combines stabilised chlorine dioxide, zinc and cetylpyridinium. The mild mint flavour immediately gives you fresh breath, well-cared-for teeth and a clean mouth. The toothpaste also contains fluoride and hydrated silicon to protect your teeth against caries (cavities).
Cleaning your tongue daily is a good idea if you’re eating more protein. But don’t use your toothbrush. Instead, use the included RyttPro tongue cleaner. This is a tongue scraper and tongue brush in one, with which you can effectively clean your tongue without damaging the soft tissue.
To freshen your breath and hydrate your mouth during the day, use the RyttPro Mouthspray.
Tip 3: Use chewing gum or tablets with xylitol
Xylitol is good for your teeth and stimulates your salivary glands due to its fresh, cool taste. Although xylitol tastes sweet, it’s definitely not sugar, and you don’t have to worry about carbohydrates.
Be sure to use a good dental care chewing gum such as Moist-R Hydrating Chewing Gum. You can also care for your teeth and freshen your breath with Moist-R Xylitol Tablets for Dry Mouth.
Dry mouth due to fasting
Alternate fasting, also called intermittent fasting, means not eating anything for intervals. This could be every other day or two days a week. A well-known form of alternate fasting is Ramadan, where you don’t eat or drink between sunrise and sunset.
A dry mouth or a lack of saliva can cause bad breath during fasting. Saliva is the natural protection for your teeth and is necessary for a balanced oral flora. This protection is lacking in a dry mouth, and harmful oral bacteria can thrive. In addition to bad breath, this can lead to other oral problems, such as gingivitis and caries (cavities).
Tip 1: Drink plenty of water
You certainly don’t have to feel thirsty during alternating fasting diets. You can drink water, tea and black coffee to hydrate your mouth. Just like with keto diets, it’s recommended to drink a lot.
Tip 2: Take extra good care of your mouth and teeth
During Ramadan, you’re not allowed to drink anything during the hours of fasting. But you can still take good care of your mouth and teeth. In any case, you shouldn’t swallow toothpaste and mouthwash.
The RyttPro Fresh Breath Kit mentioned above comes in handy if you have a dry mouth due to fasting. Toothpaste, mouthwash and mouth spray promote the balance of oral flora and stabilise the acidity in the mouth, which is much needed when you have too little saliva.
You can also keep the back of your tongue clean with the included tongue cleaner. When fasting, the RyttPro Fresh Breath Kit lets you take good care of your mouth and keep your bad breath fresh
Sources
Medical News Today: Everything you need to know about bad breath
British Dental Nurses‘ Journal: A haven for bacteria