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Oral Microbiota Characteristics in Relation to Different Dietary Patterns: A Systematic Review
Alessandro Chiesa1, Luigi Generali1, Andrea Butera2
1Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences with Transplant Surgery, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine Relevance (CHIMOMO), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy.
Nutrients
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Dietary patterns have a limited effect on the overall oral microbiota. However, the Mediterranean diet is linked to beneficial shifts in oral bacteria, suggesting a role in oral health.
Area of Science:
- Oral microbiome research
- Nutritional science
- Microbiome and health
Background:
- Diet significantly impacts oral health and the oral microbiota.
- Individual nutrients like sugars are well-studied, but dietary patterns' effects are less clear.
- Understanding dietary patterns' influence on the oral microbiome is crucial for oral health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the association between human dietary patterns and oral microbiota.
- To synthesize current evidence on how diets like Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous affect oral microbial composition.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science.
- Inclusion of studies on defined dietary patterns and sequencing-based oral microbiota analysis in healthy individuals.
- Narrative synthesis due to heterogeneity in study designs and analyses.
Main Results:
- Six studies with 448 participants were included.
- Dietary patterns showed minimal impact on overall oral microbiota diversity.
- Specific taxa (e.g., periodontopathogens) and functional pathways were sensitive to diet, with the Mediterranean diet showing beneficial associations.
Conclusions:
- The oral microbiota is relatively stable but can be influenced by dietary patterns at a taxonomic and functional level.
- The Mediterranean diet is consistently associated with favorable changes in oral microbial profiles.
- Further longitudinal and interventional studies are needed due to current evidence limitations.
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