Is the Paleo Diet good for your dental health?

The Paleo diet is becoming popular, trendy and showing a steady rise in the number of followers. As this diet plan is based on foods what our ancestors ate during the Paleolithic era (old stone age), it is christened as “Paleolithic Diet”. Celebrities like Bryant, McConaughey, Jack Osbourne also follow paleolithic diet to keep their weight in control as well as maintain their physique.

Keep in mind that you should take your dental health into account while switching your diet plan.

If you are keen on jumping on the Paleo bandwagon, this blog article is for you, my friend. The way a paleo diet impacts your oral cavity is explained here.

What is meant by Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet focuses on foods taken by our ancestors before the invention of agriculture. As our caveperson ancestors did not have access to food processors, they used to eat meat, plants, vegetables, and fruits for survival. In simply, the diet is a combination of hunter-gatherer foods and plant-based foods.

Here is the list of foods taken by paleo diet followers:

  • Low-fat meats
  • Seafood
  • Eggs
  • Fibrous vegetables
  • Fresh fruits
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Plant oils (Ex: Coconut oil, Grapeseed oil)

Likely, the paleo diet adherents should abstain from the following foods:

  • Starchy foods
  • Processed foods
  • Dairy products
  • Sugar
  • Salty foods
  • Grains
  • High-fat meats

Will paleo-friendly foods benefit your dental health?

Yes. Your mouth will benefit greatly from a Paleo diet.

Generally, our modern diet is comprised of modern manufactured foods that are loaded with sugar. You might know that sugar feeds oral bacteria due to which acids formed in the mouth. It erodes enamel so that cavity occurs. Likely, poor eating habits also allow harmful oral microbes to breed. It provokes various dental dilemmas like gum diseases.

As the caveman diet (Paleo diet) is devoid of sugar and starchy foods, it eliminates consuming processed carbohydrates. Instead, the paleo-friendly foods feed nutritional compounds like calcium, phosphorous, Vitamins B12

Instead, paleo-friendly foods feed nutritional compounds like calcium, phosphorous, and Vitamins B12, C & D that are pivotal to strengthening teeth and combating noxious microorganisms inside the mouth.

In the meantime, the fibrous fruits stimulate saliva that aids in keeping the mouth clean.

Does the Paleo diet have any negative oral effects?

Even though benefitting the teeth, gums, and oral tissues in several ways, the Paleo nutrition plan is linked to some mild oral discomforts.

  • Sticky teeth – The fresh, dried, and fibrous fruits in the Paleolithic diet are a great source of natural sugar. However, they stick to the teeth and push the diet followers to brush frequently to remove sticky substances from teeth surfaces.
  • Bad Breath – When the protein in foods we take breaks down, it releases foul-smelling volatile sulfur compounds. As the hunter-gatherer diet (Paleo diet) relies on high protein foods, you would encounter a strong foul breath. Luckily, it can be addressed with oral hygiene activities.
  • Lack of Vitamins – You cannot get a few important vitamins once you avoid certain foods from your diet. Right? For instance, Paleo diet followers do not consume dairy products that are a good source of calcium. Similarly, they are omitting various sources or many nutritional compounds.

Such mild oral discomforts are unavoidable but can be easily fixed with good dental hygiene practices. Similarly, consult your dietician to know the paleo-friendly foods that are rich in mineral compounds you are skipping after switching to the caveman diet.

Bottom Line

Similar to various diet plans, the Paleo diet also has both positive and negative effects on the health of our mouths, teeth, and gums. It is quite easy to overcome such dilemmas. Meanwhile, you should think about your dental health before changing your dietary plan. So get dental consultation before sticking to the Paleo diet.

At Surya Dental Care, we have helped many people to get the dental benefits of various dieting regimens. Contact us today if you want advice on your diet plan. We are ready to help.