3 A systematic review examined the association between food intake and oral health in the elderly found that tooth loss in the older population was associated with changes in food intake and nutritional deficiency. Older patients, for example, may experience tooth loss, reduced masticatory ability, and decreased appetite, which may, in turn, influence their nutritional status. Additionally, factors such as stage of development, specific medical conditions, and socioeconomic status may indicate particular diet and nutritional considerations. 2 With any study involving nutrient intake or dietary patterns, it can be challenging to follow participants for a meaningful length of time.Ī variety of dietary factors are hypothesized to influence the oral cavity, including macro- and micronutrients, vitamins, pH properties, as well as the behaviors associated with their consumption. Clinical trials generally control for more factors, using a sample size calculated to be sufficient to detect a statistically significant change in the variable of interest. However, even though a number of variables are matched, the populations compared can differ in important ways. In case-control studies, two groups of closely matched subjects (by age, sex, race, etc.) that differ in the presence or absence of a particular condition of interest are compared to see what factors might differ between the groups, providing potential clues about cause and prevention of that condition. It is important to remember that finding an association is not the same as demonstrating causation. They look for associations between nutritional factors and a given outcome in large populations. For instance, epidemiological studies are primarily observational, meaning that the populations compared can differ from each other by any number of uncontrolled factors. While all study types may be used to generate useful information, they differ in terms of reliability and how to interpret the data.
There are different types of nutrition studies such as epidemiological studies, case-control studies, and clinical trials. The relationship that diet and nutrition have with oral health is bidirectional, as compromised integrity of the oral cavity can also influence an individual’s ability to eat. While nutrition can be defined as the micro- (vitamins and minerals) and macro- (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) nutrients as they relate to the body’s dietary needs, diet refers to the specific foods consumed.
Diet and nutrition are significant influencers of oral health, and can affect the development and progression of oral diseases and conditions such as caries, periodontal disease, erosion, and others.