Have you ever heard of keto breath?

Keto diet has many benefits and is helping many people around the world to improve their quality of life, but have you ever heard of keto breath?

The keto diet and oral health.

The keto diet is a diet very low in carbohydrates and high in fats - such as meat, fish, cheese, nuts and vegetables. Sugar is absent in this diet, in fact, eating less sugar can lead to less bacteria in your teeth and mouth, which in itself is better for your teeth and gums.

In addition, a low-carbohydrate diet can also help reduce inflammation, thereby reducing the risk of periodontal disease. Despite all the advantages of the keto diet in our health, there is one thing we must take care of while on this diet and that is our breath.

Keto breath usually has an acetone or fruity odor, unless it is accompanied by bacteria in the mouth, then it can have an even more unpleasant odor. While this keto breath can be a sign that the diet is

working, most of us don't want to walk around with bad breath, even if we are losing weight.

Causes of keto breath

If a low-carb diet lifestyle is supposed to be healthy, why does it result in bad breath?

The answer lies in how your body breaks down fats. After switching from a typical high-carbohydrate diet to one that promotes fats and protein, your body enters a state of ketosis. ketosis is a process in which your body begins to burn fat for energy, since there are no stores of glucose (your body's preferred energy source) immediately available.

While in ketosis, your body converts fat cells into three types of ketones, which are by-products of fat. One of these ketones, called acetone, is basically unusable by your body's energy reserves.

Therefore, your body eliminates it through your urine and lungs. It is the acetone that causes your breath to have that distinctive "ketosis" smell that is comparable to an overly sweet, fruity smell. The good news, Your body will become keto-adapted when it begins to use these ketones to fuel your muscles and brain. When you become keto-adapted, the bad breath should disappear.

How to prevent keto breath

The keto diet and oral health are a great mix because the suggestions for preventing keto breath are simply good oral care habits that anyone should adopt. Here are some tips to prevent the dreaded keto breath.

✓ Drink plenty of water. Your body stops producing saliva when you don't eat, and as you begin the keto diet you naturally begin to lose your appetite and eat less. The less you eat, the drier your mouth will be, so drink plenty of water to prevent bacteria from building up in your mouth.

✓ Maintain a good oral health routine. If you're not producing much saliva, it's a good idea to brush after every meal. It is also very important to floss and even use an alcohol-free mouthwash daily. Mouthwashes with alcohol tend to have a drying effect, so avoid them, and to prevent your mouth from drying out between brushing, and to further freshen your breath, try chewing some sugar-free gum.

✓ Add fresh herbs to water and tea. Herbs such as cloves, cinnamon, mint and fennel naturally freshen breath.

✓ Take it easy. Gradually eliminate carbohydrates from your diet rather than drastically cutting them out. This way, you give your body time to adjust to the change and not release so many ketones all at once.

✓ Decrease your stress levels, Stress not only reduces saliva flow, but also slows down protein digestion. Anxiety can also cause acid reflux, which is known to cause bad breath.