Are High Carb Diets Bad For Your Teeth?

Eating a diet that is high in carbohydrates can have benefits but also poses threats to your oral health.

Most people are aware of the importance of protein in our diet. It is the substance that allows us to develop muscular strength. This is not only necessary for the body builders of this world, but for all of us to develop sufficient strength for our daily life whatever that may be. There is perhaps a bit of an obsession with this in the wealthier west though as protein is plentiful and most of us eat more than we actually need.

A less well known group perhaps are carbohydrates, or ‘carbs’ for short. It is these which give us the energy to carry out our duties. Carbohydrates do this by gradually converting into sugars which are the fuel that we need for energy. You might say why not just eat sugar, but anyone who has reached for a bar of chocolate for a quick energy boost will find that it does just that; it provides a quick fix that also wears off quite quickly. It is for this reason why high carb diets are popular with some people.

Who uses a high carb diet?

While any of us might do this, perhaps the best known group are those who take part in sports, and especially those that require a high level of endurance. The slow release of sugars enables them to keep going for longer, allowing them to finish the marathon or whatever event they take part in. Many athletes ‘ preload’ with carbs before an event, eating large amounts of pasta, bread etc.

If any patients of our Chelmsford dental clinic do this regularly, or anyone that eats a diet high in carbohydrates, we hope you will find our blog about the impact this could have on your teeth and gums to be useful.

Benefits of carbs for your oral health

Before we look at things you should be cautious about if you follow a diet like this, it is important to note that ‘good’ carbohydrates such as found in vegetables and whole grains etc, provide essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium which help to strengthen and remineralise our teeth. As with many things then, a balanced diet is the best way to go, but for those, such as athletes, who follow a high carb diet, there are things that you should be aware of.

Refined carbohydrates

This group consists of the likes of non wholemeal pasta and bread, along with cakes etc. While these will provide energy giving sugars, they tend to do so faster than wholemeal ones. They are also fermentable and are likely to increase the amount of bacteria in the mouth which can lead to periodontal diseases.

They also produce more acids than wholemeal too, and this, along with sticky foods for energy such as dried fruit, can mean that your teeth become coated in sugars for quite a while. This is often worsened if you become dehydrated as is likely in an endurance based sport.

You should definitely be aware of high energy ‘sports drinks’ which are popular with many athletes. These contain high levels of sugars and even if these come from a natural source, they can still be very damaging to the teeth. It is thought that they have contributed significantly to an increase in enamel erosion of our teeth as we have mentioned previously in our Blue Sky Dental blogs.

Although wholemeal carbohydrates provide a better option for you, it is important to remember that these will produce sugars too, albeit being released more gradually, and although that is the reason that you are taking them (for energy), they will still potentially lead to problems with your teeth and gums.

Oral health tips for athletes

To finish today’s blog, allow us to offer a few tips for anyone thinking of following a high carb diet.

• If you must ‘carb load’, do so with wholemeal and natural products as far as possible.
• Use whole fruits rather than juices as these provide fiber and the sugars are less concentrated.
• You will need to drink plenty of fluids. Make sure that this is based on water rather than commercial ‘energy drinks’
• Include some cheese, especially at the end of meals, to help counterbalance the acidity that a high carb diet can produce.
• Make sure that you brush your teeth really well with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Spit but don’t rinse afterwards to allow the fluoride to strengthen your teeth.
• Make sure you are well hydrated before you go to bed. A lot of energy is expended during sports and this may dehydrate you as you sleep.
• Make sure that you see our Chelmsford dentists for a check up every six months. We also strongly advise you to see the hygienist who will be able to offer advice on your sport and how to better manage your oral health.

If you follow this advice, there is every chance that you will maintain healthy teeth and gums. Although sporting activities are generally good for our health and wellbeing, it shouldn’t be ignored that unless care is taken, our oral health can suffer.

If you would like further advice on this subject or would like to make an appointment to see the dentist or dental hygienist at Blue Sky Dental, please call us today on 01245 211070.