Intermittent fasting has been known for a long time as being an effective approach towards weight loss and limiting calorie consumption. However, there are also several benefits that intermittent fasting can do for our dental health, as we explain in this article.
Intermittent fasting is a type of diet that is becoming increasingly popular. It involves a person adhering to strict phases of eating and then not eating (fasting).
Intermittent fasting typically involves a person using a 16:8 approach, which means 16 hours of fasting and an 8-hour period where a person consumes calories. Other variations include 18:6, or the more extreme 20:4.
Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce stress, speed up our metabolism, and contribute towards weight loss [1]. It has even been shown to increase our lifespan by protecting against cardiovascular diseases [2].
But as well as these benefits, intermittent fasting also has a positive impact on oral health, as we will be showing in this article. These benefits include lessening harmful bacteria in the mouth, the regulation of pH Levels, and decreasing the chances of gum disease.
Eating and drinking in a way that benefits our oral health is highly-appealing. As a result, intermittent fasting can be recommended as a great diet to benefit oral health. This should result in fewer visits to the dentist.
Dental Benefits of fasting
While most people that engage in intermittent fasting do so for weight loss purposes, there are also many dental benefits of fasting.
If a person eats and drinks throughout the day, sugar will come into contact with the gums and teeth regularly. This causes plaque, which will eventually cause decay and cavities, and over time, gum disease.
Instead, when fasting, the mouth is limited to just a few hours a day of potential damage. Therefore, arguably the biggest benefit to intermittent fasting is the fact that there are fewer hours where the teeth can be damaged from sugar and harmful bacteria entering the mouth.
Saliva is also an important area in oral health. It is important for the pH levels (levels of acidity in the mouth) of saliva to be regulated. Sugary and starchy foods can affect acidity levels in the mouth, resulting in damaging acids affecting the teeth and wearing down enamel. Therefore, intermittent fasting also helps the regulation of pH levels, as there are fewer hours for food and drink to cause acidity.
Indeed, these statements have been backed up by scientific research. Studies have showed that low calorie diets such as intermittent fasting can reduce periodontal inflammation and gum disease [3]. Other research shows that fasting can help to improve chronic dental diseases and even improve the health of the bones in the mouth [4].
Gum disease affects so many people, as do cavities. In fact, statistics show that seven out of ten Canadians will at some point in their life have gum disease [5]. Therefore, it is clear how an intermittent diet can benefit our oral health, though a nutritious diet and brushing our teeth regularly are important too.
What we offer at Savanna Dental
While we do recommend intermittent fasting, it is important to state that this shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for regular dental check-ups.
We always emphasise that early detection of dental problems is crucial. The best way to detect problems is attending regular check-ups.
Our dental clinic Savanna Dental is located in a convenient area within Calgary, Alberta. We do everything we can to take care of our patients, and ensure they have a comfortable experience with us.
When treatment is required, our Calgary-based dental clinic has a wide range of services available to our patients, including regular fillings, root canals, scaling, dentures and many others. We provide a tailored treatment plan for each patient, to ensure their dental needs are met.
Summary
While intermittent fasting certainly has health benefits, it might not be for you. Regardless of the way you consume food and drink, what matters most is that you eat a healthy and balanced diet. This, along with regular dental check-ups and consistent tooth-brushing, can help towards maintaining strong oral health.
We offer dental check-ups and a range of treatments at Savanna Dental – located in Calgary. Click here to visit our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca, where you can see the various services we have available to our patients.
- [1] Patterson, R. E., & Sears, D. D. (2017). Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition. 37. p371-393.
- [2] Mattson, M. P., & Wan, R. (2005). Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 16 (3). p129-137.
- [3] Branch-Mays, G. L., Dawson, D. R., Gunsolley, J. C., Reynolds, M. A., Ebersole, J. L., Novak, K. F., Mattison, J. A., Ingram, D. K., & Novak, M. J. (2008). The effects of a calorie-reduced diet on periodontal inflammation and disease in a non-human primate model. Journal of periodontology. 79 (7). p1184–1191.
- [4] Wulansari, L., Kaboosaya, B., Vo, T. N. N., Ding, L., & Kasugai, S. (2017). The effects of fasting regimen on periodontal tissues. Clinical Oral Implants Research. 28 (14). p162-162.
- [5] Canadian Dental Association. (2021). Gum Disease FAQs. Available: https://www.cda-adc.ca/en/oral_health/faqs/gum_diseases_faqs.asp. Last accessed: 7th May 2021.
