The easy diet found to cut painful inflammation

The Mediterranean diet - long known to fight off cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer - can also protect your gum health and ward off inflammation, scientists have found. 

A new study, published in the Journal of Periodontology, revealed that the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruit, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, can slash your risk of gum disease and inflammation by up to 65 per cent. 

It also found that a diet heavy in red meat can put you at a higher risk of developing severe gum disease or systemic inflammation.

Professor Luigi Nibali, the study’s lead author, said: “Our research shows the potential effect that a nutrient-dense, plant-rich diet could play in improving the nation’s gum health. 

“There is emerging evidence about the role that a balanced diet might have in maintaining a periodontal healthy status.”

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Researchers from King’s College London assessed 200 patients enrolled in an oral and dental biobank, performing dental exams, blood tests, and diet questionnaires. 

Patients who did not closely follow the Mediterranean diet tended to have more severe gum disease, especially if they frequently consumed red meat. 

The study found that higher levels of a key inflammatory markers were linked to worse gum health, while diets that were heavy in plant-based foods were linked to lower levels of inflammatory markers.  

The Mediterranean diet consists of healthy fats, like olive oil, that contain compounds including oleic acid, which reduce inflammation markers. Other fats including fish, nuts and seeds, which have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, also help deter inflammation.

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Wholegrains are also a key part of a Mediterranean-style diet, and foods like brown rice, oats, and wholemeal bread contain compounds that fight off inflammation. 

Vegetables, which have a high content of vitamins and minerals, were also effective. Leafy greens can help produce more saliva and improve its ability to neutralise acids and ward off gum disease. Citrus fruits, like oranges and lemons, and berries, like cherries and blueberries, are high in polyphenols, which reduce plaque and tooth decay and better protect oral health. 

Dr Giuseppe Mainas, an author of the study, believes their findings should be taken into consideration when treating patients with gum disease. 

“These aspects should be holistically considered when assessing the treatment for periodontitis in patients,” he said. 

“Our research offers an important starting point that can lead to more research to better understand the relationship between food intake and gum disease.”