Bad Teeth Might Be Ruining Your Weight Loss Goals

Bad teeth aren't only aesthetically unattractive and generally unhealthy, they can also be directly linked to weight issues.

Recent research has shown that obese people are 5.9 times more likely than those of average weight to have severe gum disease.

Having good oral health, healthy teeth, and the correct bite is as important as understanding the importance of diet and how to eat healthily.

It is actually easier to maintain a healthy weight when one brushes, flosses regularly, and maintains good oral health.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at the relationship between weight issues and oral health to see how bad teeth could be ruining your weight loss goals.

Relationship Between Weight Gain and Oral Health: Ways Bad Teeth Leads to Weight Gain

We all may experience weight fluctuations throughout our lifetime - weight goes up and down. But as one gains weight, the gums and bone in the mouth change too. This can cause teeth to move and cause dental issues.

Despite not being the first thing that comes to mind when trying to find out why you're gaining weight, your oral health does play a significant role. It is possible that your dental health is to blame if you've gained weight. This may be due to several factors, including:

Avoiding Healthy Foods Because of Bad Oral Health

A person's diet can easily be changed due to mouth pain. For example, when you chew crisp fruits and vegetables, you often experience more pain. Consequently, you'll eat fattier, sugarier, and saltier processed foods even if you know how to eat healthily.

It is also possible to get teeth and gum irritation from healthy meats, as fibers can get caught between your teeth. Thus, your dietary choices may be affected by this fear. 

Processed foods may make up a large part of your diet; sugar and unhealthy fats are abundant in processed foods. You can quickly eat these, but they are hard on you, especially if you are looking to lose weight and you have sensitive teeth.

Tooth decay is caused by the extra sugar you consume. Plus, gaining weight is easy with a diet like that. The obvious question here is how to eat healthily without affecting your teeth, gums, and weight. 

And the answer is simple - take good care of your teeth to avoid any effects that could hinder you from eating healthy foods.

Difficulties Exercising Due to Bad Teeth

Food isn't the only problem. Exercise might be challenging if you have terrible oral health. A chronic infection such as gum disease is like having the flu or a cold every day. 

Try to recall the last time you worked out, and your energy was sapped by a cold. If you experienced that every day, how would it feel and affect your weight loss workout?

Diabetes could also be draining your energy. You are more likely to get gum disease if you have diabetes, but diabetes can worsen your gum disease. 

Blood sugar isn't the only factor in diabetes. Your body is also unable to process and use energy properly. Exercise becomes more difficult when you lack power, meaning your weight loss goals then become all the more difficult to achieve.

Weight Gain Due to Chewing Gum and Bad Teeth

It might seem like chewing gum would help you lose weight if you were trying to restrict your bad eating habits. But sadly, not everyone is lucky enough to have this experience. 

Since chewing gum uses fake sugar, some people may end up craving sugar even more. You may end up eating more sweets as a result, which is bad for your teeth and weight loss goals.

Ultimately, it's really up to you to determine whether gum causes weight gain or not. 

Gum can be helpful if it helps you avoid bad eating habits, but some people may end up craving sugary foods and overindulging in sweets.

Mouth Inflammation Triggering Weight Gain

Your immune system responds to gum and teeth disease by increasing inflammation, which affects how your body manages energy. 

Inflammation affects your body's ability to process leptin, a fat that signals to your brain when you're full. Due to inflammation, you may overeat and be too tired to exercise leading to weigh gain. 

Inflammation plays a crucial role in complex interactions between obesity, diabetes, and oral health. In addition, chronic infection like gum disease causes your body to release many more inflammatory compounds, which affect the immune system. 

Those inflammatory proteins interfere with certain hormones, such as leptin, that regulate energy consumption and weight loss. Due to inflammation, it can also be challenging to maintain a healthy exercise routine or even start one.

In Conclusion

Healthy mouths lead to healthy bodies. By recognizing the subtle and complex interactions between your teeth and overall health, you can achieve your weight loss goals, and a healthier lifestyle that is good for your mouth, body, and soul.

Otherwise, bad teeth can negatively affect your overall health. Adopt a holistic approach to weight loss, which means treating each phenomenon as a whole rather than treating it separately. Then you’ll maintain good oral health and enjoy better weight outcomes.