Low Whole Grain Intake & Low Fiber Intake Linked with Gum Disease

Good dental hygiene is essential for healthy gums, but the foods we eat might help protect us against gum disease as well. To see how eating patterns relate to gum health. researchers analyzed national survey data from 6052 US adults. They found that people eating at least 1.5 servings of whole grains per day were significantly less likely to have severe gum disease than those not eating whole grains. Similarly, those eating fewer than 12 grams fiber per day were 27% more likely to have increasing severity of gum disease. However, fruit and vegetable intake was not significantly related to gum health.
The Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Dec;146(12):2530-2536. (Nielsen SJ et al.)