Fasting helps detoxify your body from toxins. This practice can help you lose weight and improve your blood sugar levels. It also lowers inflammation and enhances heart health by improving blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels. But do you know that fasting also helps you maintain good oral health? Dr Nihal Yadav, BDS, Amayra Dental Clinic, Kaushik Enclave, Burari, Delhi and Former Resident, Deen Dayal Hospital, Hari Nagar, explains how fasting benefits your oral health.
How Teeth Get Harm While Eating
When you eat meals and snacks throughout the day, you make a mix of high-fat and sugars, raising the acidity levels in the mouth. The higher sugar levels in your mouth lead to higher acid generation and lower pH levels, which can be harmful to your oral health.
When these by-products get stuck in the spaces between your teeth, it promotes bacterial development that damages the enamel, the protective layer of your teeth, resulting in gum disease, cavities, and tooth decay.
Also Read: 5 Reasons Your Teeth Hurt During Summer
How Fasting Can Help Your Oral Health?
There are many ways you can take care of your oral health and fasting can be one of them. Several studies have shown that a low-calorie diet or an intermittent fasting can be beneficial for teeth and gum health. Here's how it can impact your oral health.
Contains Plaque Accumulation
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth, causing gum disease and tooth decay. The plaque is caused when the bacteria in your mouth mix with sugary or starchy foods, such as bread, candies, and soft drinks, releasing acids. During fasting, people tend to avoid or limit the consumption of these foods, thus, restricting the bacterial activity. This leads to the containment of plaque accumulation on the teeth, improving your oral health.
Reduces Inflammation
Gum or periodontal disease is a common oral health problem people suffer from. This happens when the plaque builds up on your teeth and gums, leading to pain and inflammation. According to research by John Wiley & Sons in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), as a primary preventative method for managing chronic inflammatory conditions, including periodontal diseases, calorie restriction and intermittent fasting can play an important role.
Also Read: Tartar Vs Teeth Stains: What's The Difference
Promotes Healing
During fasting your body's natural mechanism of cellular repair and regeneration is triggered, which aids in healing of the damaged mouth tissues, like damaged gums tissues. In addition to this, fasting can also promote the growth of your nerves and new blood vessels, which also benefits oral health.
Boosts Immune System
A study published in Wiley Online Library reported that short-term intensive fasting boosts immune function, particularly innate immune function. This helps the body to fight infections, including oral infections, preventing tooth decay and gum disease.
Conclusion
While fasting may help promote your oral health, it should not be used as a substitute for regular brushing and flossing. They are still needed to keep bacterial activity in check, keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Furthermore, if you have any dental issues, you should seek treatment from your dentist rather than depending only on fasting.
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