People who follow a short-term low-calorie diet may have reduced markers of inflammation associated with gum disease, according to UK research.
A study by King’s College London—published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology—highlights how lifestyle modifications could be important alongside plaque control in managing gum disease.
While fasting has been linked to reduced inflammation around the body, this is the first to establish a relationship with gum disease as well. The findings offer new insights into how oral and wider body health are closely intertwined.
“Our study suggests that lifestyle modifications could be important alongside proper tooth brushing for patients,” first author Dr Giuseppe Mainas said.
The research included 28 patients from across hospitals in Spain, split into two groups—those who followed a five-day restrictive diet versus a control group who continued their usual diet.
Patients who fasted ate 1100 calories for two days, then 750 calories for three days. The sixth day gently introduced more calories with soft foods; then their diets returned to normal by the seventh day. This was repeated three times in six months, with patients reporting the diet as easy to stick to.
After six months, samples were analysed from the patients’ blood and gingival crevicular fluid.
Those who fasted had reduced markers of inflammation in samples from blood and gum tissue compared to those whose diets stayed the same, including lower levels of C-reactive protein, a general indicator of inflammation around the body. The fasting group also had reduced molecules linked to inflammation specifically in the gums, compared to controls.
“There may be multiple reasons why fasting is beneficial to gum disease patients,” senior author Prof Luigi Nibali said.
“Fasting reduces oxidative stress in the body, a common cause of inflammation, which can damage cells and DNA. Intake of high calorific foods and refined carbohydrates—for example in cakes and biscuits—can also cause inflammation, so restricting these foods also reduces oxidative stress in the body.
“It may also be that fasting has beneficial effects on the microbiome—the body’s community of bacteria that help to keep it healthy. However, further research is needed to confirm this relationship.”
