Hey guys. Just wanted to share a few basic tips to help you protect your teeth while you lose weight. As a dentist, I’ve seen a lot of people do a lot of damage to their teeth with habits that seem healthy at first glance, but that actually are dangerous. Hopefully this post will help you avoid the same pitfalls. The two main dangers I see are frequent snacking/sipping and acid erosion.
Disclaimer: I’m simplifying a lot to keep the length of this post down.
Snacking/sipping frequency:
So you’re trying to be healthier, and you’ve cut down to one Coke a day. Great! Do you sip on that Coke slowly and make it last all day long? Not so great. The bacteria that cause cavities care less about how much sugar they get, and more about how often they get access to sugar. Every time you sip the Coke, the bacteria convert that sugar into acid for about 30 minutes, and that acid causes cavities by dissolving the minerals in your tooth. Your teeth get soft and bacteria can invade the soft spots. If you drink that Coke in 6 gulps spread throughout the day, it’s kind of like dipping your teeth into an acid bath for 30 minutes, 6 times a day. That’s 3 hours.
A healthier alternative: finish the whole Coke over the course of a meal. That way, you only have one 30 minute acid bath, AND your saliva is helping to wash the Coke away faster so that it isn’t just hanging around on your teeth. It’s the same amount of sugar, but your teeth are only exposed to cavity-causing acid for 30 minutes (low cavity risk) instead of 3 hours (high cavity risk).
This same concept applies with snacks and small meals. Any time there are sugars or simple carbohydrates from snacks (chips, crackers, fruit, pretzels, sugary mints, sugary gum, coffee with milk and sweetener, etc), the bacteria are eating it with you and making that acid. A lot of people are doing intermittent fasting right now, which completely solves this problem. But if several small snacks throughout the day is what helps you lose weight, or if you have had bariatric surgery and require several small meals, a little planning can go a long way. Try making some of those snacks/meals into something that can’t feed those sugar bugs. Think almonds, eggs, hard cheeses, pepperoni, jerky, celery, carrots, unsweet tea, and sugar-free gum.
Acid erosion:
So now you’re trying to be even healthier. You’ve completely given up soda and are just drinking water. Fantastic! But water is getting boring, so you add a few lemon wedges. Mmm, calorie-free flavor.
Be careful! I’m not saying don’t ever drink fruit-infused water. But make it an occasional treat. I have seen a few cases this year of people who throw some lemon slices in a jug of water and sip on that every day, all day long, and Y'ALL. Their teeth were just MELTING away from that constant onslaught of acid. It was especially heartbreaking because they were only trying to be healthy. (Google acid erosion to get an idea.)
Don’t forget, sparkling water and diet sodas are acidic, as well (but not as bad as lemon water). Use good judgment, and don’t be drinking 3-4 cans all day, every day.
I hope these ideas help. With CICO, you can eat anything (with moderation and planning) and still lose weight. Likewise, you can eat/drink anything (with mindful timing and moderation) and avoid cavities and tooth erosion.
TLDR: Limit the amount of time your teeth are exposed to sugar, simple carbs, and acid.
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