Keto, Paleo, and the Mediterranean are all words we have seen associated with lifestyle influencers, celebrities, and even doctors and nutritionists. There is no doubt that eating healthy foods, drinking water, and exercising are all beneficial to your overall health, but the question remains – do trending fad diets impact your oral health?
Best Diets for Your Teeth
Keto- The Fat Burning Diet
This protein-rich diet consists of consuming meat, eggs, nuts, butters, oils, cheese, and fibrous vegetables. All of these foods are great for your oral health, however, you might experience “keto breath”. An overwhelming sweet smell on the breath which is caused by acetone being released from the lungs.
Paleo- The Caveman Diet
We are going back in time! This diet focuses on eating the food pre-historic hunters and gatherers ate. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, lean meat, and fish. Though these foods support oral health, they lack the essential need for dairy, legumes, potatoes, and grains. With these items omitted from your diet, you want to ensure you’re getting enough calcium to support tooth strength through supplements.
Mediterranean- The Heart and Longevity Diet
Inspired by the average Greecian diet from the 1960s, this diet allows wine and desserts (in moderation). Yes, you read that right. The Mediterranean diet consists of fruits, vegetables, oils, dairy, legumes, fish, white meat, nuts, starches, desserts, and wine. With that being said, moderation is key. You are allotted a 3-4 oz. glass of wine a day, a 3 oz. dessert each week, fish 3 times a week, and 3 servings of dairy a week. These foods support good oral health, however, the daily glass of wine might stain your teeth.
Worst Diets for Your Teeth
Juice Cleanses
Drinking your fruits and vegetables may be beneficial for detoxing your digestive system, but there are some long-term concerns you should be made aware of. These diets often lack the nutritional fiber that keeps your hair, nails, and teeth strong. The high acidity in fruits and vegetables can weaken your enamel over time, and low-calorie diets can impact your long-term collagen production. Collagen fibers hold the teeth together and the lack of fibers could result in tooth loss.
Raw Diet
Similar to the paleo diet, the raw diet consists of eating raw fruits, raw vegetables, sprouted legumes, raw nut butters, and raw nut milks. The high acidity and sugars found in fruits and vegetables can cause tooth decay and seeds can get stuck in your teeth causing bacterial growth.
Small Meals
When you eat 6-8 small meals a day, typically you’ll find yourself eating healthier carbs, less fat, and more fruit and veggies. This is good for your overall health, however, not cleaning your teeth in between meals causes a great risk for bacteria, gingivitis, and tooth decay. To avoid plaque buildup and debris in teeth, try rinsing in between meals to cleanse but not irritate teeth and gums.
Schedule Your Next Appointment
We encourage doing what is best for your health and recommend consulting with your doctor and dentist to address any concerns you may have. Contact us to schedule your next appointment today.