What is this?? I just had my teeth cleaned and it feels like I haven't been in years! My teeth feel like they have sweaters on them and there is visible chalk like plaque on the back of my lower teeth!!So gross, I know but anyone else having this?

Yes! My teeth have felt skuzzy since I started IP!

OK, so everything you read on the internet is not necessarily true.
I found this, which kind of makes sense:

"Drinking protein shakes right before bed was to blame. Brushing only cleans the teeth, gums and tongue. A lot of the residue is still left in the throat that then migrates in the saliva during sleep and causes calcification of tartar."

Now, I wonder if it is less a problem for people that have the snack between lunch and dinner OR have a non-casein containing product (chocolate soy puffs, etc) as the snack after dinner.

Can you support or refute the theory? Do you typically have the bed time snack? What product do you choose?

I can't speak scientifically, only anecdotally - but for me, the only outward evidence I got that my body was in ketosis was a constant slimy feeling on my teeth. Some people experience a metallic taste or bad breath, I got scuzzy teeth

You just saved me a forum search. I was just about to research why my mouth has a metallic taste, when I brush my teeth, the last couple of days. Yuck.

Anything I add is anecdotal/conjecture, however if enough of us have the same thing, observational evidence is often used in scientific research (good or bad, they use it!)

I tend to think it is a function of the protein powder.

I did Atkins in 02-03 and didn't get this feeling on my teeth. I was eating A LOT more protein then but in the form of real food. I certainly had my share of dry mouth and carried mouthwash with me everywhere, but it wasn't the tooth feeling.

I haven't given it enough thought to determine whether it is casein-containing products or not (haven't read labels every time I get the feeling). I've taken to rinsing my mouth with water after a protein snack & I typically don't have one right before bed anyway. I'm usually hungrier late afternoon.

Metallic mouth here......I don't eat any of the IP products after 4pm and I don't have the fuzzy teeth feeling but the taste of metal is constant

I take my snack in the afternoon.. . and I constantly have the scuzzy feeling not to mention bad breath... It drives me nuts!

I have read about a lot of people on low carb diets having the plaque build up behind the lower teeth, this has been discussed a lot on Atkins forums and other low carb sites. From what I can gather it our bodies reaction to being in ketosis. I don't think it has to do with protein intake.

Yes - I've also had that scuzzy feeling on my teeth. For the past few months I've been using Plax (by Colgate) pre-brush rinse before brushing my teeth. It seems to help clean the teeth more completely somehow. At least I feel that way... and it seems to keep my teeth whiter too. I also use a sonic toothbrush which I love.

I don't personally have that metallic feeling in my mouth, but certainly sympathize with the scuzzy teeth comments.

I found a better explanation from this site: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/dental/oralbiol...eformation.htm

"High protein diet
Plaque formed on the teeth of individuals with a low carbohydrate, high protein diet, contains fewer acidogenic-aciduric organisms. The pH gradient will be different and the overall pH of the plaque alkaline because of the ammonia produced as a by-product of amino acid breakdown. The higher pH of the plaque will itself inhibit acidogenesis and favour Gram negative organisms which will be present in greater numbers. The proteolytic nature of the plaque will result in the presence of particular peptides such as putrescene and cadaverine which have a characteristic offensive odour."

The ADA stuff on plaque just states it is caused only from too much sugar, which gives credence to the first statement I posted, which was from a dental hygienist, and kind of suggested it was the lactose (milk sugar) from the protein drink.

Part of the design of IP is more alkaline foods to bring our pH back where it should be. It would seem during the initial shock of going from what we ate before to what we eat on Phase 1 IP, the organisms (yeah, gross) in our mouths change from maybe what we are used to feeling or tasting, to this new alkaline taste. This would also explain why it isn't necessarily the protein, it is actually the vegetables (a lesser credible site suggested oxilates in spinach) or just lack of the normal over-sugar environment. Another lesser credible site suggests that the metallic taste is a candida (yeast) die off symptom, and an alkalizing diet is used to cause yeast overgrowth to die off.

Also, this is an intentionally unbalanced diet, so it would make sense that over alkalinizing would have some symptoms that would lesson once eating becomes more balanced (70-60% alkaline, 30-40% acid).

Definitely a real thing.

Same problem for me with the plaque build up on my lower teeth. I'm going to the dentist on Tuesday and will ask about this.

Thanks infoplease- my coach looked at me like I was crazy today when I asked about it

I get the scuzzy teeth too. Every single time I'm in ketosis. I kinda welcome it now! Haven't found much that helps except this ph balancing paste my husband got from the dentist.

I have been following WellnessMama (google her) for a while now. She's a major advocate for organic raw coconut oil mouth rinses.

In science like counters like. It's why the oil based cleansers are very good at removing oil based cosmetics. As plaque is basically saliva, bacteria and degenerating food remnants I suspect there is more than an element of truth to her claims that a 15 minute coconut oil mouth "sloosh" would pull out a good deal of bacteria and some of the protein residue.

I bought some organic raw coconut oil yesterday and will be trying it later today. I am a supper time snack IPer and I have noticed that my teeth don't feel as clean, even after flossing and brushing, after the packet meals.

PS The benefit of coconut oil is amazing. I drowned my feet in it yesterday, put them in a plastic grocery bag and covered with thick socks for 90 mins. All the nasty white dead skin is gone, the cracks look better and my feet feel like silk. It can also be used for removing greasy cosmetic residue provided you rinse thoroughly afterwards.

As I have noticed that my candida overgrowth (present for the last 25 years) is pretty much gone, I believe that the alkalinity that IP promotes is definitely a factor.