Avoid Cavities as You Avoid Carbs

There are a lot of people who eat low-carbohydrate diets.  Some do so because they are diabetic; others do so to either lose weight or to maintain weight loss.  Regardless of the reason, there is a side benefit to eating a low-carb diet—it can help a person to avoid cavities.

Carbohydrate foods are primarily the ones which cause tooth decay.  This isn’t true for all carbohydrates, of course, as many are quite healthy.  Starches and sugars, though—the main carbs people on low-carb diets avoid—cause cavities.  These carbohydrates are stickier and they adhere to the teeth more easily.  This, in turn, causes plaque to form more readily.  Plaque is a form of bacteria that attacks the enamel on the teeth.  As the enamel breaks down, cavities can form.

The Atkins Diet and other diets which limit the intake of carbohydrates may not be designed for the purpose of maintaining a healthier mouth; however, because of the types of foods allowed on those diets, better oral hygiene is a natural result.  This doesn’t mean that a person on one of these diets can skip regular oral care, though—brushing and flossing at least twice each day is still necessary.