How Is Keto Breath Linked to Ketogenic Diet?
The form of halitosis linked to low-carb diets is called "ketosis breath".Keto breath is a condition when the patients experience bad breath and a foul taste in the mouth with often distressing symptoms either pre or post-food consumption. It may also lead many individuals to experience feelings of embarrassment or psycho-social stigma. Fortunately, current nutrition research focuses on the goals to overcome keto breath in individuals following diet patterns that are low in carbohydrates, without undermining the nutrition or weight loss goals linked to a low-carb diet. Bad breath or halitosis can be linked to numerous dental causes and is one of the common indications of periodontal or gingival diseases in children or adults. However what many individuals may not know is that bad breath can also be a possibility when an individual experiences possible side effects of low-carb diets such as the Atkins diet, South Beach diet, or even the Dukan diet.
What Are the Causes of Keto Breath?
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Nutrition experts also suggest that changes in the daily diet can definitely be one of the main triggers leading to changes in the breath with the sudden implementation of a low-carb diet for some individuals who follow it. The sudden switch from direct carbs to proteins can possibly alter how the body can metabolize the food.
Also, the breakdown of protein in the body creates the compound ammonia. A sudden surge in dietary protein in individuals who are not used to low-carb diets can only further aggravate this effect. Hence a possible increase in the amount of ammonia in the gastrointestinal tract and urine would be the metabolic switch that can lead to bad breath or keto breath. Current nutrition research that elaborates on this mechanism of developing keto breath with low-carb or ketogenic diets still needs further scientific evidence in detail to explore the exact ways in which metabolism changes in individuals can trigger breath changes as well. Also, a lot of water should be taken by an individual to excrete ammonia. Hence those individuals who are insufficiently hydrated can definitely experience worsening or aggravating symptoms of chronic halitosis (bad breath). This would be because of the rapid accumulation of ammonia in the body.
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When the body breaks down the fatty acids from food, it creates byproducts known as ketones. The most common ketone bodies are classified into acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetones. These ketone bodies are the ones that are regularly eliminated from the body either by the acts of urination or through exhalation. When individuals strictly follow low-carb diets, the body tends to rely instead more upon the energy derived from fatty acids (as opposed to the energy otherwise derived from carbohydrates in individuals on normal or balanced diets). Since the body uses more of these fats for energy production, it's natural to release the ketones and their byproducts that are either urinated or exhaled. The excessive accumulation of ketones poses a specific issue in individuals experiencing chronic or persistent halitosis (bad breath). Ketones exhaled through the mouth also may have quite a distinctive scent which is why many individuals suffering from keto breath would be experiencing symptoms of even psychosocial stigma, embarrassment, or depression.
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Ketosis is the metabolic state that is achieved in individuals following a low-carb diet and the protein metabolism tends to be high in such ketogenic diet users or followers. Proponents of the ketogenic diet suggest that consuming higher protein and low carb content is in fact one of the most effective ways in order to burn fat and achieve a lean muscular body. This diet has also been recommended by many nutritionists and dieticians across the world in medical settings.
How Is Dental Bad Breath Different From Keto Breath?
Current research shows that keto breath would vary from individual to individual. Still, it may not always produce the same effect as chronic halitosis which is linked to underlying dental or systemic disease patterns. For instance, the most common cause of chronic halitosis in individuals is because of gingival and periodontal diseases that occur due to bacterial accumulation in the oral cavity. It's important to follow up with the dentist regularly to eliminate bacterial deposits or calculus on the teeth that can be the leading causes of chronic halitosis. For individuals taking certain systemic medications or immunocompromised individuals with poor oral hygiene and certain drug therapies, the chronic state of halitosis would aggravate with time and is very different from "keto breath" which is associated only with normal metabolic changes occurring in the system due to the switch from glucose to the utilization of fat and high protein metabolism.
What Are VSCs?
In keto breath, dental research links the chronic state of bad breath or halitosis to the production of VSCs or volatile sulfur compounds. These compounds are the byproducts of protein and fat metabolism that are altered in these individuals because of less utilization or unavailability of carbs in the system. The characteristic smell that arises from the production of VSCs in the mouth can vary based on the byproducts of ketone metabolism such as acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, or acetones. The smell from VSCs in the oral cavity (in keto breath) would rather resemble that of either rotten eggs or rotten apples (fruity odor) from person to person but is generally not the same as halitosis.
What Are the Tips to Prevent Keto Breath?
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Ask the registered nutritionist for tips or dietary changes to increase healthy fat consumption while reducing protein consumption to minimize the ketone production leading to bad breath.
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Aim to drink at least 8 ounces of water every day that is needed to flush the VSCs and excess ketone as well as ammonia production in the body.
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Apart from good oral hygiene practices and irregular dental follow-ups from a registered dentist, try incorporating healthy oral habits such as rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash (as recommended by the dentist), considering sugar-free chewing gums or Xylitol-based gums or natural breath fresheners such as the use of capsules made from mint, parsley oil, chlorophyll, or fennel.
Conclusion:
A keto diet or a low carbohydrate diet can force a person to let the body burn more tissue fat instead of glucose in the body to produce energy. This can lead to excess production of ketones, VSCs, and ammonia that act as triggers for chronic bad breath or keto breath. Hence it's important for dental professionals to differentiate this from the chronic halitosis caused by dental disease or systemic disease. Also consulting with the registered healthcare provider or nutritionist can give insight into how to follow the low-carb diet without the risk of having keto breath.
