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Poor overall diet quality as a possible contributor to calculus formation
Mohammad S Al-Zahrani1, Elaine A Borawski, Nabil F Bissada
1Department of Periodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. mxa67@cwru.edu
Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry
|November 22, 2005
Summary
Poor diet quality is linked to increased dental calculus (tartar) deposits. This study used the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to assess diet quality in adults, finding a significant association with calculus extent.
Area of Science:
- Dental hygiene and public health research.
- Nutritional science and its impact on oral health.
Background:
- Animal studies suggest a link between diet and calculus formation.
- Understanding diet's role in dental health is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between overall diet quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and the extent of dental calculus deposits.
- To analyze data from a large adult population subset of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 12,405 NHANES III participants aged 18 and older with available dental calculus and diet quality data.
- Categorized diet quality into poor (HEI < 51), fair (HEI 51-80), and good (HEI > 80).
- Employed ordinal logistic regression to assess the relationship between HEI scores and calculus prevalence, controlling for numerous confounding factors.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between overall diet quality and calculus deposits after adjusting for covariates.
- Individuals with poor diet quality had 1.54 times the odds of having more calculus deposits compared to those with good diet quality.
- Those with fair diet quality had 1.30 times the odds of increased calculus deposits.
Conclusions:
- Poor diet quality is significantly associated with a greater extent of dental calculus.
- Further research is warranted to determine if poor diet quality predisposes individuals to calculus formation or increases the risk of periodontal diseases.