Stopped Keto, but still but still having same problem (keto breath)
Christine_72
Posts: 16,049 Member
I didn't quite know how to title this thread... Last year I did keto for 4 mths, but quit due to constant keto breath! My husband commented each and every time he caught a whiff, and it got to the point that I avoided being too close to him as i was so embarrassed. I have always been super meticulous with oral hygiene and had never, ever suffered from bad breath before.
Fast forward 11 months later, and nearly every time i let my carbs get below 125ish the keto breath comes back, I up my carbs the next day and it goes away!Have i done some kind of permanent damage to myself? Why would this still be happening, and so quickly, nearly 12mths later? I went through my diary before i went low carb, and there were plenty of days here and there where my carbs were on the very low side, but i never had this problem then..
I seem to have the opposite problem to so many, I now have to keep my carbs UP instead of low/moderate. If i keep my carbs above 140g everything is fine, zero breath problems.
I go to the dentist twice a year for a check up and cleaning, and everything is A ok there. I'm so humiliated even asking this question, as i hate being near people that don't have fresh breath, it is a huge deal for me.
Fast forward 11 months later, and nearly every time i let my carbs get below 125ish the keto breath comes back, I up my carbs the next day and it goes away!Have i done some kind of permanent damage to myself? Why would this still be happening, and so quickly, nearly 12mths later? I went through my diary before i went low carb, and there were plenty of days here and there where my carbs were on the very low side, but i never had this problem then..
I seem to have the opposite problem to so many, I now have to keep my carbs UP instead of low/moderate. If i keep my carbs above 140g everything is fine, zero breath problems.
I go to the dentist twice a year for a check up and cleaning, and everything is A ok there. I'm so humiliated even asking this question, as i hate being near people that don't have fresh breath, it is a huge deal for me.
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Just putting this out there... you can be as meticulous as all get out with oral hygiene (I'm a fiend) and still have breath issues due to things like post nasal drip or reflux. I know that both I and members of my family succumb to these issues ourselves.
I chew gum when I have bad post nasal drip during allergy season.
Saying that, I've noticed that it's been an uphill fight trying to keep my breath fresh the older I get. I brush more and more frequently. It's like my mouth is drier or something and that makes my breath less fresh. Nothing to do with carbs at all.6 -
^^ Good points. I'm blaming the carbs, but it could something else entirely and it's just a big ol coincidence.1
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Halitosis can be caused by a whole host of things. Since it's been 11 months, it's likely not holdover Keto breath. It's probably best to speak to your dentist about this.0
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It may not be a bad idea to check in with your doctor. Bad breath can be more than just oral hygiene issues1
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I've checked in with my dentist, he can't find a problem. Haven't asked my doctor though.
But why would this happen only during the times my carbs are low, and goes away when i up them and keep them there. As said, it could be a total coincidence. I'll ask my doctor next time for sure.0 -
Just eat carbs. No biggie.1
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Just eat carbs. No biggie.
True, that's what I've been doing.
One other tidbit of info is if i take chlorophyll tablets i can eat zero carb with no breath problems, they really are magic when it comes to this problem. But i don't particularly want to rely on those as a bandaid fix forever.1 -
I can't remember if this affected you, but I know excess protein can cause bad breath too.
What else... mouth breathing, food choices, dehydration, oral hygiene, pitted tonsils or pouches in the throat, postnasal drip. I don't know.
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I keep hearing about postnasal drip, how do you know if you have this?0
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I think some feel it but some don't. If you do a fair bit of throat clearing in the morning, that can be it. Coughing, stuffed nose, snoring, and some hoarseness. Allergies are often a cause.1
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I think some feel it but some don't. If you do a fair bit of throat clearing in the morning, that can be it. Coughing, stuffed nose, snoring, and some hoarseness. Allergies are often a cause.
Oh jeez, I constantly clear my throat in the mornings, I also have hayfever and have sneezing fits throughout the day. No snoring or stuffed nose though. I am definitely going to look into this further.
Thank you so much for your help.0 -
What is the smell. If it smells "bad" like decaying meat then it's likely a nitrogen compound connected to protein. Acetone from keto smells fruity. A cheapo breathalyser will probably measure acetone and health professionals should recognise it.2
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It's definitely not acetone or fruity
I don't notice or taste anything, it's just the husbands comments..
The annoying thing is that he's the only one who comments on it. I roped in my mum, sister and kids and they all said my breath was fine, and they would definitely tell me. Sometimes i wonder if there's something wrong with HIM hmmmpphh0 -
I'm having a similar problem and after reading here I think I need to see a doctor and dentist. I brush twice a day and use mouthwash and my carbs really aren't that low but I experience this every day where I'm in a deficit. When I over ate last weekend (logged as 3k cals) I didn't notice it at all. My husband even says it doesn't smell, I made him Pinky swear, but my mouth tastes like metal and im hating it. My carbs really don't go that low, they're just mostly from veggies these days. I'm so frustrated! I quit keto due to the breath issue too and now this!0
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I'm having a similar problem and after reading here I think I need to see a doctor and dentist. I brush twice a day and use mouthwash and my carbs really aren't that low but I experience this every day where I'm in a deficit. When I over ate last weekend (logged as 3k cals) I didn't notice it at all. My husband even says it doesn't smell, I made him Pinky swear, but my mouth tastes like metal and im hating it. My carbs really don't go that low, they're just mostly from veggies these days. I'm so frustrated! I quit keto due to the breath issue too and now this!
Yep, i get that metal taste too, especially in the morning. What's your average carb intake?0 -
Update**** I found the problem! I started drinking coffee with milk around the same time i stopped low carbing. I was racking my brains trying to figure out what i had added or taken away, and the coffee was the one and only change, from never drinking it, to 5-6 cups a day
I then googled 'coffee breath' and got loads of articles, and adding milk to coffee seemed to be the most common cause. SO i started drinking black coffee, which took some getting used to and poof! Problem solved, haven't had any breath issues since i dropped the milk in my coffee's. I still add milk to my cups of tea, but have reduced it a lot, and this doesn't cause any problems.
I honestly thought going low carb had caused some weird permanent problem 9 -
Glad you solved it!
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Wow! Super sleuth!1
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Glad you figured it out!
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When my wife drinks coffee her breath is so bad I cant even handle sitting beside her in the car.When she cut's the coffee her breath is fine.0
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Wow, good for you, @Christine_72 . Way to go solving this issue for yourself. Bad breath could be so deterring, i never knew coffee with milk can cause it. You must be so happy though1
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Wow, good for you, @Christine_72 . Way to go solving this issue for yourself. Bad breath could be so deterring, i never knew coffee with milk can cause it. You must be so happy though
I am very happy lol It was shameful and embarrassing, and i was starting to get angry at my husband every time he brought it up!! I'm so glad it was such a simple fix, and i didnt have to see the doctor or dentist for some exotic diseaseBeastofBodmin wrote: »When my wife drinks coffee her breath is so bad I cant even handle sitting beside her in the car.When she cut's the coffee her breath is fine.
It's weird huh. Some people can drink pots of coffee and be fine, others like myself will always get every flippan side effect of anything they take! Does your wife use milk/creamer in her coffee @BeastofBodmin ?0 -
Yay! Happy you found this totally random answer lol !! I personally can't drink milk in my coffee because it leaves this icky after taste and texture on my throat/tongue! But soy milk doesn't cause it so I stick with that when I do want some creamer.
I'm curious if non dairy milks cause this coffee breath too! My husband has never mentioned anything to me, but honestly I'm not sure he would, even if it did stink!1 -
WickAndArtoo wrote: »Yay! Happy you found this totally random answer lol !! I personally can't drink milk in my coffee because it leaves this icky after taste and texture on my throat/tongue! But soy milk doesn't cause it so I stick with that when I do want some creamer.
I'm curious if non dairy milks cause this coffee breath too! My husband has never mentioned anything to me, but honestly I'm not sure he would, even if it did stink!
I'll have to reread some of the articles and see what it says about non dairy milks. I stopped reading further when they kept repeating MILK (cows) is a cause.
@WickAndArtoo you may be one of the lucky/normal people who dont get this weirdass effect.
The annoying thing is I've been a lifelong tea drinker, i only started drinking coffee regularly last year, and now I'm totally hooked! I wish i never started in the first place!
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@Christine_72 oh yes, once you start you can never go back! It is definitely a drug in that sense, very addicting haha. But of all the addicting things in life, this is probably the least offensive... even with the bad breath 1
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