Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 8, 2026

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Mediterranean diet and its relationship with oral pathology
Daniela Sánchez Cousiñoa1, Sonia Egido-Moreno2, Beatriz González-Navarro3
1Master in Medicine, Surgery, and Oral Implantology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Dentistry), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Objective:
To evaluate whether adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) is associated with a lower prevalence of oral and systemic diseases and to investigate the relationship between MD adherence and oral health parameters, including dental caries, periodontal disease, salivary flow, and salivary pH, in a multicenter population of adults.
Materials And Methods:
We enrolled 232 patients, recorded their medical histories, and assessed their adherence to the MD using the "Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener" questionnaire. We also randomly performed an intraoral examination on 43 patients from the adherence group and 30 patients from the non-adherence group.
Results:
We found a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of systemic conditions, such as cancer (p = 0.045) and cardiovascular disease (p = 0.02), between patients adhering to the MD and those who did not. Additionally, stimulated pH (p = 0.019), periodontal disease stage (p = 0.009), decayed, missing, and filled teeth (p = 0.048), and stimulated sialometry (p = 0.002) were also correlated with MD adherence.
Conclusions:
This study found that adherence to the MD acts as a protective factor against both oral and systemic diseases. An associative relationship exists between certain oral and systemic diseases and adherence to the MD.
Related Concept Videos
The Oral Microbiota
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Atherosclerosis III: Management
