- Brushing teeth can help curb sugar cravings by disrupting the craving cue loop
- Menthol in toothpaste makes sweet foods taste metallic, bitter, and less appealing
- Cravings often stem from sensory triggers, not actual hunger or physiological need
Sugar cravings can be brutal, especially when you're dieting. More often than not, it's not just about willpower - consuming high amounts of refined carbs can also trigger a vicious cycle of cravings. When you cut back on sugar, your body might rebel and prompt you to reach for a sweet treat. Nutritionist Pooja Makhija shares a genius hack that can help tame those instincts. She recommends brushing your teeth whenever you are struggling with sweet cravings.
In a post shared on Instagram, Pooja writes, "Cravings are not always about hunger. Often, they're about dopamine prediction. When you eat something sweet, your brain doesn't just respond to sugar. It responds to anticipation — the cue → routine → reward loop. Brushing works because it disrupts the cue."
The Science Behind the Hack
The menthol in the toothpaste stimulates cold receptors, TRPM8, which makes sweet food taste weird, metallic and bitter. The result, therefore, is that the dessert that you were craving is suddenly less appealing.
The nutritionist explains, "Most often, cravings are sensory and not actually physiological. So when you reset sensory simulation with foam and mint and freshness, you are disrupting this sensory urge that was driving the craving."
For most of us, brushing our teeth is a behavioural cue. It psychologically tells us that eating is done and the kitchen is closed. Therefore, this is known as a habit loop interruption. You are replacing a craving behaviour with a ritual. a
Who Benefits from This Hack?
This hack is not going to help those who have sugar cravings because of low protein intake, low salt intake, large gaps between their meals or skipped meals, sleep deprivation or cortisol spikes, as brushing your teeth affects psychology and not physiology.
It's going to help those who have this pattern - post-dinner sugar cravings, boredom eating, or time-driven sugar cravings. "Brushing your teeth is a low-effort tool. It's not a cure. But sometimes weight loss is not so much about willpower, but about smarter signals," she concludes.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
