nutrients-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2022) | Viewed by 38919

Special Issue Editor

Department of Oral Health Sciences, School of Dentistry; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Interests: nutritional deficiencies; vitamin D; vitamin C; dental diseases; conflicts of interest

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dental diseases were historically largely viewed as having a nutritional etiology. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, was credited for observing that sweet foods cause tooth decay.  Lind, a Scottish doctor, was credited for showing that citrus fruits cure scorbutic gums–the disease that grabs “you by the bones and will shake out every tooth in your head". Weston Price, a dentist, was credited for observing that a transition from ancestral nutrition to processed foods led to a malocclusion. Surprisingly, dental diseases became from the mid-20th century on viewed as infectious diseases.  This "infection" view benefited the dental industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the oral hygiene industry, but not necessarily the lay person– the prevalence of dental caries in the adult population for instance remains close to 100% in most countries. This issue explores the evidence that nutrition, not infection, is the key driver of dental diseases and the potential conflicts of interest which have obscured the nutritional etiologies of dental diseases.

Prof. Dr. Philippe Pierre Hujoel
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutritional deficiencies
  • vitamin D
  • vitamin C
  • dental diseases

Published Papers (10 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

12 pages, 926 KiB  
Article
Healthy Food, Healthy Teeth: A Formative Study to Assess Knowledge of Foods for Oral Health in Children and Adults
by Sarah Hancock, Grant Schofield and Caryn Zinn
Nutrients 2022, 14(14), 2984; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14142984 - 21 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3375
Abstract
Eating patterns characterised by low intakes of processed carbohydrates and higher intakes of fat- and Vitamin D-rich foods are associated with protection against dental caries. The aim of this formative study was to evaluate the extent to which the knowledge of children and [...] Read more.
Eating patterns characterised by low intakes of processed carbohydrates and higher intakes of fat- and Vitamin D-rich foods are associated with protection against dental caries. The aim of this formative study was to evaluate the extent to which the knowledge of children and adults of foods for oral health reflects dietary guideline advice, and the evidence base for foods associated with increased and decreased caries burdens. Using a novel card-sorting task, the participants categorised foods according to their knowledge of each food for oral health. There were no differences between children and adults in the categorisation of fresh, minimally processed foods. Fish, chicken, and red meat were categorised as healthy by significantly fewer children than adults. High-sugar foods were correctly characterised as unhealthy by nearly all participants. More children categorised breakfast cereals as healthy than adults. There were no statistically significant differences between children and adults for the categorisation of brown or wholegrain breads categorised as healthy. The alignment of the participants’ beliefs with dietary guideline recommendations suggests education through health promotion initiatives is successful in achieving knowledge acquisition in children and adults. However, recommendations to increase the intake of refined carbohydrates inadvertently advocate foods associated with increased caries burdens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 876 KiB  
Article
Iodine Status Modifies the Association between Fluoride Exposure in Pregnancy and Preschool Boys’ Intelligence
by Carly V. Goodman, Meaghan Hall, Rivka Green, Jonathan Chevrier, Pierre Ayotte, Esperanza Angeles Martinez-Mier, Taylor McGuckin, John Krzeczkowski, David Flora, Richard Hornung, Bruce Lanphear and Christine Till
Nutrients 2022, 14(14), 2920; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14142920 - 16 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4727
Abstract
In animal studies, the combination of in utero fluoride exposure and low iodine has greater negative effects on offspring learning and memory than either alone, but this has not been studied in children. We evaluated whether the maternal urinary iodine concentration (MUIC) modifies [...] Read more.
In animal studies, the combination of in utero fluoride exposure and low iodine has greater negative effects on offspring learning and memory than either alone, but this has not been studied in children. We evaluated whether the maternal urinary iodine concentration (MUIC) modifies the association between maternal urinary fluoride (MUF) and boys’ and girls’ intelligence. We used data from 366 mother–child dyads in the Maternal–Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Study. We corrected trimester-specific MUF and MUIC for creatinine, and averaged them to yield our exposure variables (MUFCRE, mg/g; MUICCRE, µg/g). We assessed children’s full-scale intelligence (FSIQ) at 3 to 4 years. Using multiple linear regression, we estimated a three-way interaction between MUFCRE, MUICCRE, and child sex on FSIQ, controlling for covariates. The MUICCRE by MUFCRE interaction was significant for boys (p = 0.042), but not girls (p = 0.190). For boys whose mothers had low iodine, a 0.5 mg/g increase in MUFCRE was associated with a 4.65-point lower FSIQ score (95% CI: −7.67, −1.62). For boys whose mothers had adequate iodine, a 0.5 mg/g increase in MUFCRE was associated with a 2.95-point lower FSIQ score (95% CI: −4.77, −1.13). These results suggest adequate iodine intake during pregnancy may minimize fluoride’s neurotoxicity in boys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 411 KiB  
Article
Effects of Developmental Failure of Swallowing Threshold on Obesity and Eating Behaviors in Children Aged 5–15 Years
by Yuko Fujita
Nutrients 2022, 14(13), 2614; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14132614 - 24 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1339
Abstract
Background: The aim of the present study was to identify factors related to developmental failure of swallowing threshold in children aged 5–15 years. Methods: A total of 83 children aged 5–15 years were included in this study. A self-administered lifestyle questionnaire was completed, [...] Read more.
Background: The aim of the present study was to identify factors related to developmental failure of swallowing threshold in children aged 5–15 years. Methods: A total of 83 children aged 5–15 years were included in this study. A self-administered lifestyle questionnaire was completed, along with hand grip strength and oral function tests. Swallowing threshold was determined based on the concentration of dissolved glucose obtained from gummy jellies when the participants signaled that they wanted to swallow the chewed gummy jellies. Developmental failure of swallowing threshold was defined as glucose concentrations in the lowest 20th percentile. After univariate analysis, multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with developmental failure of swallowing threshold. Results: Hand grip strength was significantly correlated with masticatory performance (r = 0.611, p < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis revealed factors related to developmental failure of swallowing threshold, i.e., overweight/obesity (Odds ratio) (OR) = 5.343, p = 0.031, 95% CI = 1.168–24.437) and eating between meals at least once a day (OR = 4.934, p = 0.049, 95% CI = 1.004–24.244). Conclusions: Developmental failure of swallowing threshold was closely associated with childhood obesity in 5- to 15-year-old children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 2733 KiB  
Article
Abnormal Micronutrient Intake Is Associated with the Risk of Periodontitis: A Dose–response Association Study Based on NHANES 2009–2014
by Weiqi Li, Qianhui Shang, Dan Yang, Jiakuan Peng, Hang Zhao, Hao Xu and Qianming Chen
Nutrients 2022, 14(12), 2466; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14122466 - 14 Jun 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2932
Abstract
The association between micronutrient intake and the risk of periodontitis has received much attention in recent years. However, most studies focused on the linear relationship between them. This study aimed to explore the dose–response association between micronutrient intake and periodontitis. A total of [...] Read more.
The association between micronutrient intake and the risk of periodontitis has received much attention in recent years. However, most studies focused on the linear relationship between them. This study aimed to explore the dose–response association between micronutrient intake and periodontitis. A total of 8959 participants who underwent a periodontal examination, and reported their micronutrient intake levels were derived from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2009–2014) database. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate associations between micronutrient intake and periodontitis after propensity score matching (PSM), and restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis was conducted to explore the dose–response associations. Following PSM, 5530 participants were included in the RCS analysis. The risk of periodontitis was reduced with sufficient intake of the following micronutrients: vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin E. In addition, the risk of periodontitis was increased with excessive intake of the following micronutrients: vitamin B1 (1.8 mg/day, males; 1.3 mg/day, females), vitamin C (90 mg/day, males), and copper (1.1 mg/day, combined). In conclusion, a linear association was found between vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and copper and periodontitis—namely, a sufficient intake of vitamin A and vitamin B2 might help reduce the prevalence of periodontitis; by contrast, a high intake of vitamin C and copper increased the risk. In addition, a nonlinear dose–response association was found for the incidence of periodontitis with vitamin B1 and vitamin E. When within reasonable limits, supplemental intake helped reduce the prevalence of periodontitis, while excessive intake did not help significantly and might even increase the risk. However, confounding factors, such as health awareness, should still be considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1126 KiB  
Article
Children’s and Parents’ Marburg Sugar Index (MSI) Values: Are They Comparable?
by Peter Schmidt, Andreas G. Schulte, Jutta Margraf-Stiksrud, Monika Heinzel-Gutenbrunner and Klaus Pieper
Nutrients 2022, 14(8), 1630; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14081630 - 14 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1441
Abstract
Studies on children’s nutritional behaviour (CNB) rarely compare children’s answers regarding the frequency of their sugar intake with the respective statements of their parents. Therefore, data from a prevention study were used to analyse this aspect, as well as a potential correlation between [...] Read more.
Studies on children’s nutritional behaviour (CNB) rarely compare children’s answers regarding the frequency of their sugar intake with the respective statements of their parents. Therefore, data from a prevention study were used to analyse this aspect, as well as a potential correlation between Marburg Sugar Index (MSI) values and caries experience of children. The present study based its questionnaire data on CNB and caries data. Pairs of questionnaires filled in separately by children and parents of the participating families were dichotomised by either having completed the diet section entirely (Group A) or in part (Group B). The MSI scores were calculated separately for children and parents. The statistical confidence level was set at α = 0.05 (two-sided). Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated and tested for “r = 0”. Additionally, a test for equality of the correlations was applied. The number of available questionnaire pairs was 429 in Group A and 400 in Group B. In both groups, significant correlations between children’s and parents’ MSI scores (A: r = 0.301, p < 0.001; B: r = 0.226, p < 0.001) were found. Using Spearman’s Rho, a significant correlation between MSI scores and children’s caries experiences was observed in Group A. MSI scores based on dietary questionnaires can be used to obtain consistent information on children’s CNB provided by the children themselves or their parents. This is true even when the MSI score has to be calculated on the basis of incomplete questionnaires. Questionnaire-based CNB information can improve the effectiveness of individual or group preventive measures supplemented by individually adapted nutritional counselling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

32 pages, 2910 KiB  
Review
Private Interests and the Start of Fluoride-Supplemented High-Carbohydrate Nutritional Guidelines
by Philippe P. Hujoel
Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4263; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14204263 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 9260
Abstract
Fluoride has no tangible health benefits other than preventing dental caries and there is a small difference between its minimum effective dose and its minimum toxic dose. Leading global organizations currently recommend fluoride supplementation because they recommend high-carbohydrate diets which can cause dental [...] Read more.
Fluoride has no tangible health benefits other than preventing dental caries and there is a small difference between its minimum effective dose and its minimum toxic dose. Leading global organizations currently recommend fluoride supplementation because they recommend high-carbohydrate diets which can cause dental caries. Low-carbohydrate diets prevent dental caries making such fluoride recommendations largely unnecessary. A dental organization was among the first to initiate the public health recommendations which started fluoride-supplemented high-carbohydrate nutritional guidelines. This start required expert panels at this dental organization to reverse on three key scientific points between 1942 and 1949: (1) that topical fluoride had potential harms, (2) that dental caries was a marker for micronutrient deficiencies, and (3) that low-carbohydrate diets are to be recommended for dental caries prevention. Internal documents show that private interests motivated the events which led these expert panels to engage in pivotal scientific reversals. These private interests biased scientific processes and these reversals occurred largely in an absence of supporting evidence. It is concluded that private interests played a significant role in the start of public health endorsements of fluoride-supplemented high-carbohydrate nutritional guidelines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Figure 1

34 pages, 917 KiB  
Review
Nutrition and Health in Human Evolution–Past to Present
by Kurt W. Alt, Ali Al-Ahmad and Johan Peter Woelber
Nutrients 2022, 14(17), 3594; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14173594 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7444
Abstract
Anyone who wants to understand the biological nature of humans and their special characteristics must look far back into evolutionary history. Today’s way of life is drastically different from that of our ancestors. For almost 99% of human history, gathering and hunting have [...] Read more.
Anyone who wants to understand the biological nature of humans and their special characteristics must look far back into evolutionary history. Today’s way of life is drastically different from that of our ancestors. For almost 99% of human history, gathering and hunting have been the basis of nutrition. It was not until about 12,000 years ago that humans began domesticating plants and animals. Bioarchaeologically and biochemically, this can be traced back to our earliest roots. Modern living conditions and the quality of human life are better today than ever before. However, neither physically nor psychosocially have we made this adjustment and we are paying a high health price for it. The studies presented allow us to reconstruct food supply, lifestyles, and dietary habits: from the earliest primates, through hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic, farming communities since the beginning of the Anthropocene, to the Industrial Age and the present. The comprehensive data pool allows extraction of all findings of medical relevance. Our recent lifestyle and diet are essentially determined by our culture rather than by our millions of years of ancestry. Culture is permanently in a dominant position compared to natural evolution. Thereby culture does not form a contrast to nature but represents its result. There is no doubt that we are biologically adapted to culture, but it is questionable how much culture humans can cope with. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 638 KiB  
Review
On the Pathogenicity of the Oral Biofilm: A Critical Review from a Biological, Evolutionary, and Nutritional Point of View
by Johan Peter Woelber, Ali Al-Ahmad and Kurt Werner Alt
Nutrients 2022, 14(10), 2174; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14102174 - 23 May 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3153
Abstract
Plaque control is one of the most recommended approaches in the prevention and therapy of caries and periodontal diseases. However, although most individuals in industrialized countries already perform daily oral hygiene, caries and periodontal diseases still are the most common diseases of mankind. [...] Read more.
Plaque control is one of the most recommended approaches in the prevention and therapy of caries and periodontal diseases. However, although most individuals in industrialized countries already perform daily oral hygiene, caries and periodontal diseases still are the most common diseases of mankind. This raises the question of whether plaque control is really a causative and effective approach to the prevention of these diseases. From an evolutionary, biological, and nutritional perspective, dental biofilms have to be considered a natural phenomenon, whereas several changes in human lifestyle factors during modern evolution are not “natural”. These lifestyle factors include the modern “Western diet” (rich in sugar and saturated fats and low in micronutrients), smoking, sedentary behavior, and continuous stress. This review hypothesizes that not plaque itself but rather these modern, unnatural lifestyle factors are the real causes of the high prevalence of caries and periodontal diseases besides several other non-communicable diseases. Accordingly, applying evolutionary and lifestyle medicine in dentistry would offer a causative approach against oral and common diseases, which would not be possible with oral hygiene approaches used on their own. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 200 KiB  
Commentary
Fluoride: From Nutrient to Suspected Neurotoxin
by Donald R. Taves
Nutrients 2022, 14(17), 3507; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14173507 - 26 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1779
Abstract
The recollections of a former public health officer and research scientist who maintained good relations with both pro- and anti-fluoridationists over the course of a 60-year career in which fluoride has gone from being a “nutrient” to a suspected neurotoxin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
14 pages, 818 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Impact of Omega-3 Supplements on Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy: A Systematic Review
by Luísa Martins Miller, Flávia Benetti Piccinin, Ubele van der Velden and Sabrina Carvalho Gomes
Nutrients 2022, 14(9), 1838; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nu14091838 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2398
Abstract
Aim: This systematic review examined the additional effect of taking omega-3 supplements on periodontal therapy. Methods: The focused question was “What is the possible effect of omega-3 supplementation concomitant to non-surgical periodontal therapy on clinical periodontal parameters?” Databases Cochrane, Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, [...] Read more.
Aim: This systematic review examined the additional effect of taking omega-3 supplements on periodontal therapy. Methods: The focused question was “What is the possible effect of omega-3 supplementation concomitant to non-surgical periodontal therapy on clinical periodontal parameters?” Databases Cochrane, Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science (January-July 2021) were searched to identify appropriate studies. Randomized clinical trials (RCT) about non-surgical therapy with omega-3 supplementation, with at least 3 months of supplementation period were included. Cochrane risk of bias tool version 2 and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation were used. Results: A total of 1556 studies were found, of which eight studies met the inclusion criteria. All eight studies evaluated periodontal probing depth and clinical attachment loss; plaque and gingival inflammation were evaluated in seven studies. High variety of omega-3 dosage, different study lengths, questionable results from periodontal therapy (including test and control groups), high risk of bias and moderate quality of evidence prevented a satisfactory conclusion regarding the benefits of omega-3 supplementation. The studies’ high heterogeneity avoided meta-analysis. Conclusion: Notwithstanding all limitations, the promising effects of omega-3 supplementation presented in two six-month studies encourage performing RCT with better-defined treatment protocols and greater methodological rigor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interrelationships between Nutrition and the Dental Profession)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop