A common nutrient found in tomatoes may play a significant role in preventing severe gum disease in older adults, according to a study published this month in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. Researchers found that seniors with adequate intake of lycopene, a carotenoid responsible for the red color of tomatoes and other fruits, had approximately one-third the risk of developing severe periodontitis compared to those with insufficient intake.
The study, led by Katherine Kwong of the Department of Human Development at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, analyzed data from 1,227 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009-2014). Nearly half of the older adults surveyed – 48.7% – exhibited signs of periodontitis, while over 77% were found to be consuming too little lycopene.
After adjusting for factors including age, sex, race, smoking status, and education level, the research team determined a strong correlation between lycopene intake and gum health. The findings suggest that increasing dietary lycopene could be a modifiable factor in preventing severe periodontitis, though researchers caution that the study’s cross-sectional design does not establish a direct causal link.
The study also revealed disparities in the prevalence of severe periodontitis based on race and sex. Non-Hispanic Black adults were more than two and a half times as likely to develop severe periodontitis compared to non-Hispanic White adults, with an odds ratio of 2.82. Men also experienced a significantly higher risk, with odds of severe periodontitis being less than a third of those experienced by women.
Among non-Hispanic White adults, both female sex and sufficient lycopene intake were independently associated with a lower risk of severe periodontitis. However, this protective association with lycopene intake was not observed among non-Hispanic Black adults, suggesting differing risk patterns between the two groups.
Kwong collaborated with scientists from Tulane University, the University of California San Diego, Yunnan University, Southern Illinois University and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center on the research. The findings underscore the need for targeted, race- and sex-specific dietary interventions to address the disparities in periodontal disease, according to the study authors.
Researchers are calling for further investigation, including long-term and randomized controlled studies, to definitively determine whether increasing lycopene intake can reduce the risk or slow the progression of severe gum disease.