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A review article published in the Journal of Oral Microbiology has cataloged the positive influences of the Mediterranean diet on oral health.
The researchers found that adherence to the Mediterranean diet “is linked to the prevention of several metabolic and chronic degenerative pathological processes, including oral diseases” and that the diet “may represent a potential player in the link between oral microbiome and oral diseases.”
The oral microbiome is the second largest and most diverse microbiome after the gut. Comprising approximately 700 species of microorganisms, it is a complex system whose equilibrium is vulnerable to changes in composition.
See Also:Health NewsThis system includes bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea (single-celled organisms such as methanogens) and protozoa (single-celled organisms such as Entamoeba gingivalis).
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there is a strong correlation between oral disease, especially periodontitis, and chronic systemic diseases.
The organization references several studies reporting that people with periodontitis (inflammatory gum disease) are at higher risk of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.
The CDC has also found that tooth loss is another significant risk factor for stroke, and periodontal disease significantly increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The World Health Organization further notes that poor oral health is a regular cause of pneumonia in older adults.
The authors note that the oral cavity serves as a reservoir of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that, while ordinarily harmless, can become an opportunistic pathogen causing respiratory and sinus infections.
It is also a leading cause of death among antimicrobial- and antibiotic-resistant pathogen strains such as MRSA, a strain of Staphylococcus aureus.
Research has shown that polyphenols have antimicrobial effects on oral pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterium linked to numerous diseases, including periodontitis, Alzheimer’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Among patients usually prone to severe periodontitis, adherence to the Mediterranean diet correlated positively with healthier oral habits, including increased tooth count and improved dental plaque removal.
The Mediterranean diet contains numerous elements rich in polyphenols: extra virgin olive oil, which contains oleocanthal, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol; nuts, which contain proanthocyanidins; fruits, vegetables, red wine and herbs, which contain compounds such as naringenin, apigenin and kaempferol; and many others.
The Mediterranean diet is also rich in fiber, which has been shown to promote oral eubiosis, a state of equilibrium in which beneficial microbial species dominate.
The authors reference three studies in particular when discussing evidence supporting the positive effects of the Mediterranean diet on patients with periodontal inflammation compared to the Western-type diet.
The first, published in 2022, demonstrated a significant decrease in periodontal bleeding and surface inflammation in periodontal inflammatory patients after following the Mediterranean diet for six months.
These findings contrast notably with studies from 2005 and 2019, which showed an increased gingival inflammatory response in people following a Western-type diet characterized by the high consumption of refined grains and sugars.
The researchers concluded the review article by emphasizing the need to study further the link between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, oral diseases and the oral microbiome.
They also called on dentists to be more proactive in disseminating information about how diet impacts oral health.
“The dentist plays a fundamental role in promoting and disseminating the correct dietary habits based on healthy food choices among the population that, together with lifestyle, may significantly improve their general and oral health status,” they concluded.
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