by Andrea Simpson
The latest dieting craze has no doubt been the low
carb high protein diets. Those of you on Atkins diet, South
Beach diet etc. will no doubt have noticed a number of changes since
you took up the diet. And no I'm not talking about the remarkable weight
loss I am talking about your bad breath. Now it may not have been
noticeable to you but I suggest you ask your friends or relatives
whether there has been a detioration and you may be surprised by the
answer. In fact you may even find your friends moving away from you when
you speak which is always a sure sign of bad breath.
So what's the cause of all this bad air? Well depending on which medical
speak you speak with there are a number, yet similar, reasons for the
problem. One of the reasons is directly related to the increase in
protein which most of the low carb diets advocate.
Basically, we all have a large number of useful bacteria living mainly
on our tongue and at the back of our throat. These bacteria are supposed
to be there, because they assist humans in digestion by breaking down
proteins found in specific foods, mucous or phlegm, blood, and in
diseased or "broken-down" oral tissue.
When these "beneficial" bacteria come
into contact with these compounds, the odorous and
"lousy-tasting" volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs') are released
from the back of the tongue and throat, as Hydrogen Sulphide, Methyl
Mercaptan, and other odorous and bad tasting compounds.
Since the bacteria are meant to be in our mouth there is no way we can
remove them permanently. So, no amount of brushing or tongue scraping
will get rid of the VSCs'. The only scientifically proven way of curing
your bad breath (Halitosis) is by attacking the bacteria's ability to
produce VSCs' and by converting the VSC into non-odorous and non-tasting
organic salts.
There are a number of ways in which the problem is worsened and the most
common way is with dry mouth. This generally occurs while you are asleep
and hence the reason you sometimes wake up with "morning
breath".
Although some cases of dry mouth are naturally occurring, most cases are
caused by one of these factors:
1. Prescription Medications (usually prescribed for high blood pressure
or depression)
2. Antihistamines
3. Adult Beverages
4. Mouthwashes with alcohol in them
When your mouth is dryer, you have less Saliva. Saliva naturally
contains Oxygen, which keeps your mouth healthy and fresh. These
bacteria are anaerobic, which simply means that they will thrive and
make more sulfur in the presence of little or no oxygen.
Thus if you have less Saliva, you have less
oxygen, thereby creating an anaerobic environment, perfect for the
bacteria to produce more of these odorous and sour/bitter compounds.
Because of the increase in higher protein foods,
on an Atkins type diet, especially dairy products, the amount of
Volatile Sulfur Compounds increases dramatically and as such your breath
gets worse accordingly. The only way to fight the problem is to try and
supply oxygen to the bacteria causing the problem and remove as much of
the VSCs' as possible. This can be done in a number of ways:
· Drink loads of water. This will help ensure
your tongue and throat are kept moist and supplying oxygen to the VSC
producing bacteria.
· Always clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner
before brushing your teeth last thing at night and first thing in
morning. You should also try and do this after every meal too.
· Use a mouthwash which does not contain any
alcohol as alcohol can dry your mouth and make the problem worse. You
can also dramatically improve matters by using an oxygenating mouthwash.
You can find one by doing a Google on "oxygenating mouthwash".
· Don't chew gum, which contains sugar, to try
and mask the bad breath. This can make matters worse. Use a sugar free
gum instead.
The bottom line is that low carb diets will cause bad breath, although
for some it will be a lot worse than others. However, help is at hand so
if you want to shed the weight and not shed any friends then make sure
and heed the advice given above.
