You Are What You Eat: Nutrition and Periodontal Health

Course overview

The old adage, you are what you eat relates to periodontal health as well. Eating a balanced diet is critical to overall health and an imbalance, deficit, or overconsumption of dietary components can lead to severe systemic and oral diseases. Both macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) and micronutrients can impact cell function, host cell immunity, and biofilm formation and maturation. Findings suggest that dietary consumption may influence periodontal health and that deficiencies of both macro- and micronutrients may play a role in the onset or exacerbation of periodontal diseases. This course seeks to review the association between micronutrient levels and periodontitis and their underlying physiologic mechanisms.