Why does dieting cause bad breath?

Proper dieting can make your body healthier and also help burn fat, but why do you have bad breath when you diet? This situation may be the result of a large amount of body fat being consumed. If the human body is often in a state of hunger, fat will decompose and produce products such as acetone, which will lead to bad breath.

Fat is the body's reserve energy, but it is not as convenient and clean as conventional energy (glucose) when used. When people are in a state of hunger for a long time, they have to break down a large amount of fat to provide energy in order to survive. At this time, intermediate products such as acetone, acetoacetic acid, and B-hydroxybutyric acid will be produced, collectively known as ketone bodies. Acetone smells like rotten apples. Bad breath may occur when the concentration of ketone bodies in the blood is high.

When ketone bodies accumulate to a certain level in the blood, metabolic acidosis will occur, causing symptoms such as weakness in the limbs, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and a rotten apple smell on the breath. In severe cases, coma or cardiac arrest may occur.

What to do if you have bad breath due to dieting?

Bad breath caused by dieting means that fat is broken down too quickly, which suggests that you may be eating too little. Although some people can get rid of bad breath after a few weeks or months, it is recommended that those who are self-help weight loss without medical supervision should act with caution and take the following measures:

1. Adjust your diet and eat staple foods at every meal, such as rice, steamed buns, pancakes, bread, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc. If possible, you should consult a doctor to design a weight loss diet.

2. Drink 8 glasses of water a day to promote body metabolism.

3. Pay attention to physical signals such as fatigue, headache, dizziness, and palpitations, and seek medical attention in time if there are any problems.

4. Use chewing gum or breath freshener to cover it temporarily.

The purpose of losing weight is to promote health, not to create a bunch of diseases just to cure one disease. Scientific weight loss under the guidance of a doctor can completely achieve both weight loss and comfort and health. In addition, people who are trying to lose weight (especially those who are doing it on their own) should avoid extreme methods and stay alert to various physical discomforts.