Causes of Potassium deficiency in the body can be caused by certain medical conditions, including something as simple as a bad case of sickness and diarrhea. Even some medications, can purge the body of this much needed mineral.

It is interesting to note that problems with splitting fingernails can be an indication of a potassium deficiency in the body. Tooth decay can also be caused by the same deficiency. Of course, if you do have bad teeth, and happen to be eating several dozen chocolate bars a day, then it is probably safe to say that Potassium deficiency isn't the problem.

If your sweet-tooth hasn't got out of control, and you do have a problem with decay, then perhaps cider vinegar, with its high Potassium content, might be your answer. Yes, that apple a day will keep the doctor away and a glass of cider vinegar might keep the dentist away.

Potassium deficiency, or Hypokalemia if you want to use the correct terminology, can have a lot of negative effects on the body; some of them are a lot more worrying than tooth decay. In severe cases the deficiency can cause heart problems to develop or a condition called Hypokalemic Paralysis that renders the entire body stiff.

Fortunately, Potassium is present in a lot of foods apart from apples, so in the normal course of events most people should have no trouble in getting enough of this important mineral. Good sources of Potassium include fish, chicken, beef, bananas, apricots, melons, and lima beans. There are many others too, including chocolate, strange to say, so you can have your tooth ache if you want it, without having to worry about your Potassium levels falling.