January is the month when the most people in the US are on a diet. Since weight loss is the number one New Year’s resolution, many people have started a diet this month, and most of them are still sticking with it (for now).
However, many diets have tradeoffs when it comes to your oral health. Here’s a rundown of some of the factors you have to consider when taking care of your teeth as well as slimming your waistline.
Avoid Juice Cleanses
Beyonce did the world a disservice when she promoted the lemonade diet. Although these types of juice cleanses had been around for many years (Joan Crawford reportedly used something similar), they had never hit the mainstream as they did after Beyonce noted that she used one to prepare for her role in Dreamgirls.
Juice cleanses like the lemonade diet are very bad for teeth. Essentially, you are bathing your teeth in acid regularly, and not giving them any nutrition with which to rebuild themselves. You will likely suffer serious erosion of your tooth enamel. And the worst part of it is that any weight you lose on this diet, you’ll probably gain back–except what you lose from your tooth enamel!
Make Sure It’s Nutritionally Balanced
Speaking of nutrition, it’s not just juice cleanses that might not provide enough nutrition for your teeth. One of the concerns that has been raised about vegetarian diets is that they might not have what your body needs to keep your teeth healthy. After all, one study showed that vegetarians had more cavities than those who ate meat. Although in that case, the effect was probably due to not practicing proper oral care, there is still some concern. You have to take special care to get the vitamin D and calcium your body needs to maintain your teeth.
Be Wary of Snacking
Snacking is another dangerous thing that some diets propose. If you’re snacking all day, it’s not just you who’s getting a steady supply of nutrients–it’s oral bacteria. A steady stream of food can give oral bacteria more fuel for creating acid that can destroy your teeth.
You might be tempted to brush your teeth after every time you eat, but this could even be worse, as too aggressive brushing can erode your tooth enamel.
Don’t Exercise Too Much
Another thing people might want to do as part of a New Year’s resolution is add exercise to their routine. For the most part, exercise is healthy for your body and your teeth, but there is a problem. If you’re doing too much exercise, your saliva can turn acidic, which means that the fluid that’s supposed to protect your teeth is actually damaging them. Find a moderate, healthy activity level, talk to your doctor about your risks, and stay hydrated–this can help keep saliva from turning too acid.
And if you have suffered tooth damage as a result of dieting or other problems, our full mouth rejuvenation can help restore your smile to its former beauty.
To learn more, please call (843) 706-2999 for an appointment with a Hilton Head cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry today.
