Dairy Foods and Periodontal Health

While daily intake of dairy foods is part of a fully nutritious diet, there is also evidence that certain types of daily foods support good periodontal health. 

A Japanese study including 942 adults, 40 to 79 years of age, has revealed results that support this contention. Four foods were investigated to determine their affect on probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL): high- and low-fat milk, cheese, lactic acid-containing foods such as yogurt and skim milk, and coffee whiteners. Participants were clinically evaluated by one of 4 dentists measuring oral health status, probing depth, and clinical attachment levels. Each subject answered 2 questionnaires covering diet and lifestyle habits. In addition to verification by nutritionists and dietitians, nurses measured BMI and blood pressure and took blood samples. The study was adjusted for age and gender. 

Results indicated that only foods high in lactic acid “significantly” decreased PD and clinical attachment loss. Increasing the intake of these foods 10 g/day directly correlated to a decrease of 0.010 mm in mean PD and 0.014 mm mean decrease in CAL; 55g/day of lactic acid-containing foods produced changes in deep PD of >4 mm and CAL of > 5 mm when compared with no consumption. Authors indicated that the positive effects may be related to the probiotic effect of the lactic acid bacteria on periodontal bacteria rather than the calcium contained in the foods. 

While only dairy foods were included in this study, other lactic acid-containing foods include soy sauce, sourdough, meat products, and pickled vegetables.