What goes inside your mouth and body can affect other bodily functions because they are all part of one complete system. This means, when you decide to change your diet, you can see yourself losing weight but the differences can be seen in other ways.
Specifically, a ketogenic diet, which promotes high fat and low carb intake, is integral in achieving ketosis. It is a natural metabolic state that happens when the body does not take in enough carbs to provide enough energy. Thus, the body starts to burn stored fat. It is very popular due to its weight loss results, but it also has an unintended and undesired side effect, the so-called “keto breath.“
What Is Keto Breath?
Keto breath is distinct from normal bad breath or halitosis, specifically because people describe it as like having a metallic taste in the mouth. It may have a strong smell like that of a nail polish remover, although at times it can be fruity in smell.
To understand how it happens, it is important to discuss what happens when you digest food. When you eat, the body breaks down the glucose or carbohydrates first, before it burns fat. Because this diet is low in carbs, the body turns to stored fat as a source of energy. This process of breaking down fat is called ketosis.
Ketones are the by-product of this process and will then be released by the body through urine or exhaling. Thus, this keto breath is a sign that the body has entered the state of ketosis, which means this unfortunate smell is actually a positive sign for those who want to lose weight.
Many people say that this disappears when the body is adapted to ketosis, which is believed to take about 21 days. At this point, the body is better at burning the ketones produced and less come out through breathing.
How To Get Rid Of Stinky Keto Breath
It can be embarrassing to have keto breath, especially when you talk to other people. Waiting 21 days is not an option unless you live secluded from the rest of the world. Thus, you might want to discover a keto breath natural cure or a way to mask the stench.
- Drink More Water
There is more than one way to remove the ketones, and the other is through peeing. When you drink more water, you tend to urinate more and thus, the ketones get released in this way instead of through breathing out. Moreover, drinking more water will remove bacteria in the mouth that may be contributing to bad breath.
- Increase Carbohydrate Intake
A keto diet is low in carbs, but it does not mean you cannot consume any. By limiting intake to about 20 to 50 grams for every 2000-calorie consumption a day, you can still achieve ketosis but limit the unfortunate side effect of keto breath.
- Use Mints
Candies or chewing gum with mint can mask keto breath, especially when you have an important conversation. You can keep a pack in your bag or pocket just in case you need it.
Beyond altering the smell of your breath, chewing gum will also stimulate saliva production and stop bad breath-causing bacteria from growing inside your mouth. In fact, this lower saliva production is the reason why people have bad breath in the morning because the mouth tends to produce less while you are sleeping.
- Frequent Toothbrushing
When you brush your teeth more often, your mint toothpaste can cover the unpleasant smell of keto breath. At the same time, you will remove any food particles stuck in your mouth and in between teeth that tend to stink as they break down.
Unfortunately, there is no way of avoiding keto breath if you are following this diet. For many people, the benefits outweigh the disadvantage of foul-smelling breath, especially when there are ways to cover it up or avoid it.
The discomfort can be well worth it, though, especially when you are looking to burn fat that is stored around your belly. Try to balance it with a bit more carb intake or mask it through different techniques until your body gets used to burning the ketones off.