Diet quality and periodontal disease: Results from the oral infections, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance study (ORIGINS)

Abstract

Aims: This study examined the cross-sectional association between diet quality and periodontal disease.

Materials and methods: In the Oral Infections, Glucose Intolerance and Insulin Resistance Study (ORIGINS), 923 individuals completed the National Cancer Institute's validated Diet History Questionnaire 1, from which the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) scores and A Priori Diet Quality Scores (APDQS) were calculated. Mean probing depth (MPD), mean clinical attachment loss (MAL) and % of sites bleeding on probing (%BOP) were derived from full-mouth periodontal exams. Multivariable adjusted linear and logistic regression models assessed the associations between diet quality and MPD, MAL, %BOP, and the odds of periodontitis (defined via the CDC/AAP classification).

Results: Alternative Healthy Eating Index and APDQS were not associated with MPD, MAL, or periodontitis. While AHEI was also not associated with %BOP, the APDQS was associated with %BOP (p = .03). Higher nut consumption was related to lower MPD (p = .03) and periodontitis odds (p = .03). Higher red meat consumption was associated with higher MPD (p = .01) and %BOP (p = .05). Higher trans-fatty acid consumption was also associated with increased %BOP (p = .05).

Conclusion: Overall diet quality scores were not associated with periodontal status. Future studies are necessary to replicate the associations observed in this study to minimize the risk of false discovery.

Keywords: diet quality; nuts; periodontal disease; red meats; trans-fatty acids.