I'm not sure if this topic belongs here, or in "Everything Else" but I'll start here and the mods can move it if they like!
Strange thing happened this morning. I go to the dentist every 6 months for teeth cleaning like a good girl, and since I stopped smoking 4 years, 3 months and 20 days ago (but who's counting) Sandy, who cleans me, always says she is soooo thrilled at the condition of my teeth...So today, imagine my surprise when she took a computer picture of the inside of my lower teeth and showed me...and asked what happened different in the last 6 months! I won't go into disgusting detail here but suffice it to say that I had piles of calculus (no, not the math kind) right in that area. Just on about 5 teeth or so. I told her the only change I had was that I started doing Atkins at the end of October...and was taking new supplements as well, but other than that, no changes. She laughed and said hey it's no big deal, I'll just show you how to handle it brush and floss wise so it won't build up in the future....and told me not to stop Atkins! It didn't take her much longer than usual to clean it, and I'm certainly not worried about it, but curious to see if anyone else has had that kind of reaction...
Sorry this is so long!!!!

227.5/213 helloooooo 150!
Gertie

Gertie,
I have had a similar experience and I do indeed contribute it to low-carbing.

Just think how much sugar and sticky carbs you were eating before... those foods have been eliminated from your woe! I know I used to drink at LEAST 44oz. of Coke a day... and all those breads and cereals that stick to your teeth...
Vegetables tend to help *clean* teeth (especially when eaten raw) and meats are high in acid which would seem to help eliminate plaque buildup... (at least, to my non-scientific brain )

Congratulations on discovering another wonderful side effect of this woe!

Summer


www.herstorygirl.com

i dont know about you, but i think she was expressing a concern. It seems that while she tends to have very good checkups, this time she had an inordinate amount of tartar buildup.

Sarah
159/148/135

That was my impression, too. I have to agree with Summer, though, as my experience is the same as hers. I used to brush my teeth constantly to get rid of the nasty coating on my teeth.

Esther

Oh, duh!

I'm sorry! Sometimes I just skim a post -- trying to get through so many. I feel kind of silly now.
I'm so sorry.

Well, I have no idea.

For me, my checkups have only gotten better.

Summer (who may just log off for the rest of the day...)

Same problem here to. it's keeping me working very hard at the tartar buildup..since I am low carbing...wondering if it's coming from the diary products..???

I'm just guessing at this, but have you also started doing more exercise? Mouth breathing contributes to tartar build up.

It's also possible that the ketosis changes the PH in your mouth and allows more tartar build up. But, like Gertie's hygenist showed her, it just requires more attention to specific types of dental care -such as a different way of brushing and flossing. There are also some pre-brushing mouth washes that help loosen any plaque build-up and make it easier to remove by brushing and flossing.



Always eat your veggies first!
LCE member since March 2002

Summer...LOL! When I read your post I thought I had gone off the deep end!!!
It's funny...the hygienist said it might have something to do with me being in ketosis...I mean you should have SEEN this stuff...she had to use an ultrasonic thingee to get it off!. But it was only in that one area, where you have 2 saliva glands...and evidently the ph changed as Bright said. And it isn't plaque...it's plaque that has hardened into this stuff called calculus...and has to be literally chipped away! Anyway, it didn't hurt, and now I know how to brush..dry brush on those teeth first...then wet with paste...Ugh.sorry to bring all this up but I just want to tell anyone else who may have the problem not to worry!!

227.5/213 helloooooo 150!
Gertie

a calcium deposit?

Sarah
159/148/135

yup...that's what it's made of...she said that she's seen it in a lot of people who chew tums constantly too...and has one other low carber that it happens to.

227.5/213 helloooooo 150!
Gertie

Hmmmm! Interesting! I've been noticing a lot more deposits lately on my lower central incisors. However, just had my prophy appt and the hygienist said my teeth looked great - which is nice, since usually they harrass me about my poor flossing skills...

Char

Don't squat with yer spurs on!

Yeah, I'm a horrible flosser, too! I'm lucky, my hygienist is really patient with me and since my biggest issue with flossing is sticking my fingers in my mouth, she gave me some of those floss on a handle thingies to try on my last visit and I really like them. I'm still not perfect but I'm getting better at doing it. I have an appointment with her next month and I'm hoping that she'll notice an improvement. That, and the brand new wisdom tooth I'm sprouting in my lower jaw. Imagine, 41 and still cutting teeth!

Esther

And there's another dental/low carb thread here.




Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160+)
Maintaining nicely (110 +/-)
~~ Couch Fauxtato for Life, Redhead until further notice! ~~