The Relationship Between Oral Pain and Dietary Inflammatory Potential

Chronic orofacial pain is a prevalent health issue with multifactorial aetiology, including potential contributions from diet-related inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary inflammatory potential, assessed using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and self-reported oral pain among US adults.

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from 23 802 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018 who completed dietary recalls and responded to oral health questions. Oral pain was assessed by the frequency of self-reported aching in the mouth over the past year (NHANES variable OHQ620). Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between DII scores and oral pain. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify populations most affected by a pro-inflammatory diet.

Higher DII scores were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing oral pain. Participants in the highest DII quintile (27.19%) had a 19% higher risk of oral pain compared with those in the lowest quintile (20.69%), even after full adjustment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03-1.37, p = 0.016). The association was particularly pronounced in younger individuals, females, non-Hispanic Whites, those with higher socio-economic status, normal BMI, a history of smoking, and relatively low alcohol consumption.

These findings suggest that pro-inflammatory dietary patterns may exacerbate oral pain, potentially mediated through systemic inflammation or local mucosal irritation. While based on self-reported oral pain, the study highlights diet modification as a preventive strategy and calls for further research on specific pain subtypes.