I have been following the Atkins Diet for 8 days so far. I enjoy it and am having some success. However, I am finding that I have a constant bad taste in my mouth. Although I brush, floss and clean my mouth, it keeps coming back. I have been told by others who have followed this that they also experienced some "mouth odors" but I don't want this to affect my social life. My friends that tried low carbing also gave up after a few weeks. Can anyone give me any feedback as to whether this gets better, or am I going to have to keep my head in a bag for the rest of my low carbing days!

Hi Kassy,

Dr A says that when our body burns ketones for energy, we will have 'ketone breath' which means bad breath. You can look at this two ways. 1) Whoa, have I got bad breath, I can't do this diet. OR 2) Cool, I can tell I'm losing weight because my mouth tastes bad. I'd better go brush my teeth.

The precise method of measuring the ketones our body burns? By measuring the ketones in the breath. Since you need a lab & special equipment for this, we use Ketostix instead.

It's your call: what matters the most to you?: Losing weight or the bad taste in your mouth.

I've gotten somewhat used to the bad taste in my mouth. It's been over 4 months now ... in fact, I use it as a measure of how I'm doing ... I wake up at night with that taste and know ... ahh, I'm loosing weight.

The worst thing was in church a couple Sundays ago. I was giving the children's sermon and one of the little boys came up to me and said loudly into my microphone, "You need to brush your teeth!"

This kid is always upstaging me during the children's time

It's really important to drink plenty of water while following this WOE. Water dilutes the concentration of ketones - that's what the taste is about - and they also leave your body in urine and sweat.

Like Ruth, I welcome the taste. It means I'm doing the right thing!

Karen

I had the same problem, I even brushed my teeth twice during work alone. But its when I went to 3 liters of water a day that the bad mouth went away.. the good news it does go away if you drink enough water...for me its a good indicator on how I'm doing in the water department. Keeps you honest

I also find that drinking lots of water helps that bad taste. But as far as the bad breath...well I keep asking my hubby and kids if it is bad and they keep telling me it is okay? So I don't worry about it too much. I do take my tooth brush and paste with me to work. I don't want to be knocking someone over with it.

Ha...I had a laugh about the kid that said you needed to brush your teeth. Kids are so funny, and so honest.

thank you for your replies, I will up my intake of water, maybe that will help. I was drinking 96 oz. already, but I will try to double it.
And you are right- I would rather have the bad taste than not to be doing this program. I just was not sure what was causing the bad tastes- and now I know.
Thank you !!

I chew sugarless gum when I am out in public, altho U do need to be careful how much of that U do have. Another thing to try is to check with a pharmacy and ask for chorophyl tablets.

When my breath is bad and my urine smell funny i just smile and brush my teeth and know all along i'm losing weight.