Study: Mediterranean Diet Better for Gum Health

Simian Practicalist
Sep 19
2 min read

A study by G. Mainas et al titled “Relationship between Mediterranean diet and periodontal inflammation in a UK population: A cross-sectional study” posted on 15 September 2025 has found that a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with periodontal disease.

The main text is about 9 pages long, the remaining are references.

The subjects were given a 37-item food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) regarding their dietary habits of the previous six months as well as their smoking habits. Periodontal examinations were carried out.

Blood samples were also taken to assess hs-CRP serum levels as well as the serum levels of MMP-8, IL-6, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-10 and IL-17 since “CRP is widely recognized as a biomarker of systemic inflammation”.

The sample is admittedly small with 200 subjects recruited between April 2023 and May 2024, of which 5 subjects were later excluded. Also, there is a gender imbalance with 128 (66.0%) females and 66 (34.0%) males.

Of the 195 subjects, 83 (42.6%) had “low adherence” to the Mediterranean diet and 112 (57.4%) had “high adherence” to the Mediterranean diet. It should also be noted that 107 were never smokers, 66 were former smokers and 18 were current smokers. Many who had high adherence to the Mediterranean diet were never smokers.

A Mediterranean diet generally consists of

…a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrain cereals, and nuts, with olive oil as the main source of lipids, a moderate consumption of animal products, such as dairy, fish, eggs, and meat (ideally unprocessed), moderate consumption of wine (especially red, during meals), and limited sweets and processed food products.

Although 170 (87.2%) participants were diagnosed with stage III–IV periodontitis,

…subjects with high adherence to Mediterranean diet exhibited a lower grade of periodontitis, lower mean probing pocket depth, reduced clinical attachment loss, and fewer periodontal pockets exceeding 4 and 5 mm in depth compared to the low-adherence group.

Also worth noting:

“Low adherence to Mediterranean diet was statistically significantly correlated to periodontitis stage III–IV…”
“Among food consumption, frequency of red meat and derived products intake was the only food category that was significantly linked to periodontitis stage III–IV…”
“No statistically significant association was found between adherence to Mediterranean diet and all the assessed biomarkers…”
However, there was “a significant inverse correlation was observed between frequency of consumption of a diverse range of plants-derived products (such as legumes, vegetables, fruits, and olive oil) and the majority of the analyzed biomarkers”.
In short, even though there is the question of how the Mediterranean diet works along with other habits, it seems that such a diet that avoids excessive red meat and processed foods is better for one’s gums.