Dietary inflammatory potential is associated with poor periodontal health: A population‐based study

AIM: To investigate the association between dietary inflammatory potential and poor periodontal health. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross‐sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of participants was performed. NHANES 2011–2014 (n = 7081) and NHANES 2001–2004 (n = 5098) were used as discovery and validation datasets, respectively. The energy‐adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E‐DII) score was calculated for each participant based on 24‐h dietary recalls to assess diet‐associated inflammation. Periodontitis was defined by the CDC/AAP using clinical periodontal parameters. Natural cubic spline was applied to identify any non‐linear associations of the E‐DII score with moderate/severe periodontitis. Furthermore, interaction analyses were performed by age, gender, and race/ethnicity to explore the moderating roles of these factors. RESULTS: In the discovery dataset, a non‐linear positive relationship with periodontitis was identified for the E‐DII score (p (non‐linearity) < .001) after adjustment for potential confounders. Compared with those individuals in the lowest tertile of E‐DII, participants in the highest tertile who consumed a pro‐inflammatory diet were 53% more likely to be periodontitis (OR (tertile3vs1) = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.33–1.77). The validation dataset showed similar associations. Relatively stronger associations were seen in older adults and males. CONCLUSION: Consuming a pro‐inflammatory diet indicated by the E‐DII score is associated with periodontal disease in the U.S. general adult population.