The foods we eat on a regular basis influence the makeup of the bacteria—both good and bad—in our mouths.
And researchers are finding that this collective of bacteria known as the oral microbiome likely plays a large role in our overall health, in addition to its previously known associations with tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Scientists from the University at Buffalo found how eating certain types of foods impacts the oral microbiome in humans.
They found that a higher intake of sugary and high glycemic load foods—like doughnuts and other baked goods, regular soft drinks, bread, and non-fat yogurts—may influence poor oral health.
The research is published in Scientific Reports and was conducted by Amy Millen et al.
In the study, the team tested whether carbohydrates and sucrose, or table sugar, were linked to the diversity and composition of oral bacteria in 1,204 older women.
The study was unique in that the samples were taken from subgingival plaque, which occurs under the gums, rather than salivary bacteria.
This is important because the oral bacteria involved in periodontal disease are primarily residing in the subgingival plaque.
The team found positive associations between total carbohydrates, glycemic load and sucrose, and Streptococcus mutans, a contributor to tooth decay and some types of heart problems.
The researchers also observed Leptotrichia spp., which has been associated with gingivitis, a common gum disease, to be positively associated with sugar intake.
The other bacteria they identified as associated with carbohydrate intake or glycemic load have not been previously appreciated as contributing to periodontal disease in the literature or in this cohort of women.
The key question now is what this all means for overall health, and that’s not as easily understood just yet.
The team says as more studies are conducted looking at the oral microbiome using similar sequencing techniques and the progression or development of periodontal disease over time, scientists might begin to make better inferences about how diet relates to the oral microbiome and periodontal disease.
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If you care about tooth health, please read studies about why some people more prone to tooth loss, and this common tooth disease may increase risks of dementia.
For more information about tooth and gum health, please see recent studies about tooth loss linked to cognitive impairment, dementia, and results showing this type of pickle can help prevent tooth cavities.
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