Low carbs and bad breath

Have you noticed an increase in bad breath while on your new low carb diet?

Bad Breath and Low Carbs
MSN Health/WebMD

Masking the Problem While Dropping the Pounds

“If I was dropping weight, I would buy more sugarless mints, not quit the diet,” says Charles H. Perle, DMD, a general dentist in Jersey City, N.J., and a spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry.

Perle says that even though this is not an oral hygiene problem, certain things can help banish the bad breath or at least mask the odor.

Drink more water. Chew sugarless gum.

Suck on sugarless mints. In particular, those that contain Xylitol also kill bacteria and can prevent cavities.

Or, he says, “drink water and swish it around in your mouth after you eat. It moistens the mouth and gets the food particles that may contribute to odor out.

“Basically when you are on a low-carbohydrate diet, the key to success is breaking fat into ketones to create ketosis, and as ketones get into urine and saliva, it can cause horrible breath,” Perle tells WebMD.

In fact, this problem is openly acknowledged by the Atkins diet proponents. The Atkins web site states that often this bad breath, while “annoying,” is actually chemical proof that you’re burning stored body fat.

According to the web site, drinking plenty of water helps dilute the concentration of ketones. In addition, chewing fresh parsley can help.

If your bad breath persists, see your doctor, as it can be a sign of a serious medical condition, such as diabetes. http://www.dentistdirectory.com/topic_badbreath.asp